A driver killed a woman's unborn child when he struck her at 70mph on a zebra crossing, then made sick jokes about the tragedy and rapped about "running that b**** over".
Ashir Shahid, 20, was driving his Toyota Prius at speeds between 58mph and 71mph when he hit pregnant Renju Joseph, 31, in Bamber Bridge, near Preston, on September 29, 2024. The 30mph road was dark and wet when a driver travelling in the opposite direction saw the Prius accelerate about 15 metres before the crossing, then swerve to avoid two pedestrians in front.
Renju was thrown into the air before rolling into another vehicle. She was rushed to hospital where doctors performed an emergency C-section to try to save her son, Olive, but the baby died after just five hours and 38 minutes.
Callous behaviour captured on video
Video footage from mobile phones showed both defendants laughing and singing to music as the car was driven recklessly at high speed. Sam Shahid, 17, Ashir's younger brother, was seen sticking his feet and upper body out of the window while the driver removed both hands from the wheel to make gun gestures.
Minutes after the collision, the brothers abandoned the Toyota in a side street and covered it with a sheet before others moved it onto a flatbed truck and dumped it in Farnworth, Greater Manchester. Phone evidence revealed Ashir Shahid had searched "charge for hit and run human" on the same night.
A Snapchat video showed him singing along to the Shaggy song 'It Wasn't Me' and laughing. Voice recordings captured Sam Shahid rapping: "Ran that b**** over, baby got packed. She still not woke up, she still asleep."
Court delivers sentences
Ashir Shahid, of Windsor Road, Walton le Dale, Preston, pleaded guilty to causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving. He was banned from driving for 15 years and one month and must pass an extended retest.
Sam Shahid was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to assisting an offender. Judge Ian Unsworth KC described Ashir's acceleration as "akin to what you may see on a Formula 1 race track".
The judge said: "Your driving was nothing less than appalling. You engaged in a prolonged and persistent course of dangerous driving. Your speed was significantly in excess of the speed limit and was highly inappropriate for the prevailing road conditions."
Tragic loss of baby Olive
Judge Unsworth told the court: "Olive's life lasted five hours and 38 minutes. He did not live to see dawn. His mother never saw him alive. His life was snubbed out before it really began."
Renju remained in a coma for a fortnight before discovering her son's death. She and her nurse husband, Nyjil Jonn, had planned a gender reveal celebration for October 2, with her final memory before the crash being purchasing a dress for the event.
Renju said: "Everything has been ruined by that one night and the callous and reckless actions of those two people in that car. My life will never by the same again. I will never get to meet my baby, be a mummy to him or watch him grow up. They have taken my first child away from me and I will never get him back."
Victim's life-changing injuries
Renju suffered life-altering injuries including a brain haemorrhage, fractured spinal cord, and breaks to her pelvis, ribs, and leg. She has had to relearn how to walk but struggles with standing for extended periods.
Mr Jonn described witnessing their son being placed on his unconscious wife's lap while she battled for her life as "incomprehensible". The couple, both originally from India, face an uncertain future due to the potential long-term impact on his wife.
Judge Unsworth condemned both defendants, saying: "You seemingly have no moral compass. Throughout these proceedings you have sat with your heads down as if in shame. You have no shame."
No remorse shown
The judge said the brothers "vanished into the night like cowards" after the collision, then displayed "breathtaking coolness" as they initiated a cover-up operation. He told them: "Your arrogant, selfish and shameless actions put multiple people at risk including yourselves. Neither of you have a shred of remorse for your involvement that evening."
Addressing Sam Shahid specifically, he said: "You sang utterly vile rap songs in which you glorified the events of that evening and speak in utterly despicable ways of Renju and her deceased son Olive. It defies belief."
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
