‘Boy racers’ face jail over Aleena’s death
ATAXI driver has been warned he is facing jail after being found guilty of causing the death of Rawtenstall schoolgirl Aleena Kausar by dangerous driving.
Mohsen Saddique had denied the charge but was convicted by a jury at Burnley Crown Court on a majority 10-2 verdict.
Prosecutors had accused him of ‘lying’ and ‘blaming everyone else’ for the collision and ‘refusing to accept any responsibility’.
Judge Jonathan Gibson warned Saddique that a custodial sentence is ‘overwhelmingly likely’.
The court heard how the 23-year-old, formerly of Wheatholme Street, Rawtenstall and now of Rowsley Street, Keighley, had been tailgating his friend Adil Manir at high speed in a VW Golf and ‘encouraging’ him to drive dangerously before a collision.
Manir, 20, lost control of his Audi A5 at around 5pm on September 18 last year and mounted the pavement before hitting Aleena Kausar, the court was told.
The St Paul’s Rawtenstall pupil, who was walking to a local mosque with her mother Sofia Begum, suffered serious injuries at the scene and was airlifted to Royal Blackburn Hospital where she later died.
Manir, formerly of Beech Street, and now of Chatsworth Street, Keighley, had already pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving before the trial in April this year.
Judge Beverley Lunt then warned him that prison was ‘inevitable’.
Saddique said he was slowing down at the time of the collision to stop at a friend’s house and had denied encouraging Manir to drive quickly and perform an overtaking manoeuvre which led to Aleena’s death.
However the vehicles were seen on CCTV footage and were estimated to have reached speeds of up to 64mph in a 30mph zone.
One witness described the drivers as ‘boy racers driving in a silly way’.
Saddique has now been bailed to appear for sentence alongside Manir at Burnley Crown Court on Monday, December 19.
Speaking at the end of the trial, Judge Gibson told Saddique: “I’m going to order a pre-sentence report in the meantime to give me as much information as possible about you personally. Although I’m sure from what you’ve been told about the sentencing guidelines that a custodial sentence is overwhelmingly likely.”
Saddique has also been disqualified from driving on an interim basis.