Four years for show-off driver in stolen car who killed best friend

Tazareb Hussain was not responsible for the original theft of the Nissan Micra which had been taken after a burglary at an address in County Close, Batley in September last year.

But by November 25 he was behind the wheel when Yasar Hussain, 18, got in as his front seat passenger with another man Aadil Malik in the back.

David Mackay prosecuting told Leeds Crown Court yesterday(frid) Yasar was one of nine children whose family had lived in the Batley Carr area all his life.

His older brother Faisal had received calls from Tazareb Hussain that evening offering him a lift from Dewsbury train station after he finished work but he refused the offer because he did not want to get into a car that was stolen.

In the calls the defendant had confirmed it was the Micra he was driving around saying it was “very nippy .. like a little go-kart”.

At about 9pm Yasar Hussain told his father he was going out for 10 minutes and that was the last time his family saw him.

Mr Mackay said Tazareb Hussain was then seen driving the Micra around the Batley area. Two witnesses in Banks Street saw it “flash past” as they were parked heading towards a sharp left hand bend at Purwell Hall Road.

The road had speed bumps and a comfortable speed for taking the 90 degree bend was 15-20 miles although the witnesses said most people slowed to 5-10 miles.

The Micra driver appeared not to slow down but to try instead a handbrake turn into Purwell Hall Road but due to his speed he veered on to the wrong side of the road, collided with the kerb and narrowly missed a parked van.

He stopped but then accelerated away again and the witness remarked to his brother “they’re going to kill themselves.”

Seconds later as Tazareb Hussain tried to turn right at the crossroads into Taylor Street at speed he again lost control and started to slide across the road in what was described as “an aquaplaining motion” before the Micra mounted the kerb and collided with a tree on the opposite side of the road.

“That impact was directly to the passenger side door and the force of the crash embedded the tree into the car effectively taking up the entire space where the front passenger compartment was,” said Mr Mackay.

Yasar Hussain suffered facial, chest, pelvic and brain injuries and death was almost instantaneous. Witnesses found him lying over the unconscious driver with the back seat passenger who was also injured was trapped by his leg. He was later treated in hospital.

Mr Mackay said the teenager’s family had been devastated by his death. A devout Muslim he was a popular boy with many friends.

Andrew Dallas representing the defendant said he was ashamed of his actions and considered his punishment a small price compared with what Yasser’s family faced.

“His remorse is genuine and he feels for them that having through his stupidity he has killed his best friend. Every day he looks at their home opposite his own and is reminded of what he has done.”

“He was simply driving too fast and found himself in consequence unable to manage the bend which led to this terrible and tragic collision.”

He said Tazareb Hussain had a congenital heart condition and was awaiting further surgery which it was hoped could be done during his prison sentence.

Hussain, 22 of Skipton Street, Batley admitted causing death by dangerous drive, aggravated vehicle taking where a death results and causing death while uninsured. He was jailed for four years eight months and disqualified from driving for six and a half years.

judge Guy Kearl QC told him: “On 25 November last year you got into a stolen Nissan Micra car and you drove it dangerously. It seems clear to me you were showing off to your friends by driving the car quickly.

“It is plain from the facts of the case you had invited your friends into the car in effect to show them how fast it could be driven and that from the observation of the witnesses is precisely what you were trying to do without any care for other road users, pedestrians or your passengers.”

He said having lost control when he tried to do a hand brake turn to skid around an earlier bend “a warning was available to you, undeterred you revved the car engine and sped off again.”

No brake lights were seen when he approached the next turn and again lost control crashing into the tree. “This seems to me driving which was deliberate and dangerous for the thrill of it, in other words you deliberately ignored the rules of the road deliberately disregarding the safety of others.”