Hit and run driver admits causing boy’s death on crossing

Popular schoolboy Bilal Khizar was knocked down and killed on a pedestrian crossing in Rooley Lane, Bradford, on October 6 last year.

At Bradford Crown Court yesterday, bearded Zain Khan, 21, from Halifax, pleaded guilty to five counts including causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop after an accident.

Khan, who wore a grey top and spoke quietly to answer his charges in court, also accepted driving the Seat car dangerously between Rooley Lane in Bradford and the A58 Whitehall Road in Cleckheaton – where he again failed to stop after an accident.

He and his co-accused, 21-year-old Sara Hughes, also from Halifax, both pleaded guilty to doing acts tending or intending to pervert the course of justice between October 5 and 9, as the 
two claimed the Seat that 
knocked down Bilal had been stolen.

However, Khan denied a sixth count – driving while uninsured, an issue the prosecution will look into and could be raised at a later date, Judge Jonathan Durham-Hall said.

Jonathan Sharp, prosecuting, said: “The position we are in is that today a full certificate of motor insurance has been produced to the Crown.

“We would like an opportunity to consider all matters related to this certificate.

“In any event the certificate doesn’t appear to cover Mr Khan for the use of a motor vehicle unless it is owned by or leased by two other people.

“However I am told that further inquiries may be able to resolve to the Crown’s satisfaction of that issue.”

Judge Durham-Hall added: “The question of whether or not at the time of this tragic incident Mr Khan was or wasn’t insured is of course relevant to my determination of the appropriate 
sentence.

“It is not necessary however 
and it would be wholly inappropriate to delay progression of this case by starting a trial on (this count).

“But I agree entirely that you need to resolve, whether technically or otherwise, the issue of whether Mr Khan was insured at the time, or whether he believed or reasonably believed he was. That can be dealt with on the date of sentence.”

Dark-haired Hughes, who wore a beige jumper and green scarf, will receive credit for pleading guilty at an earlier hearing, the judge added.

He said: “We will need a full report before sentencing. Consideration of each and every conceivable, robust option to immediate custody in her case.”

Both Khan and Hughes were remanded in custody until their sentencing in February.