"The vehicle crashed and collided with a tree"
Uzaifa Ahmed, aged 26, of Handsworth, Birmingham, was jailed for eight years and 11 months following a horror crash that killed his best friend.
Despite being banned, he drove on the wrong side of the road, overtook cars and reached speeds of up to 100mph after drinking vodka with his friend Hasan Razzaq in the car.
He eventually lost control of the Honda Civic, which belonged to his father.
Birmingham Crown Court heard that late on the evening of April 2, 2021, the pair had been hanging out with other friends in their own vehicles.
Paul Spratt, prosecuting, said:
“Mr Ahmed was seen drinking vodka from a cup. They continued to remain there until 1:30 am.”
The group went to buy a bottle of vodka from a petrol station followed by a takeaway prior to the journey.
Mr Spratt said Ahmed was “showing off” and was described as “fairly drunk, quite loud and annoying”.
While Hasan was in the passenger seat, Ahmed sped dangerously.
Mr Spratt explained: “It was being driven at excessive speed, it was on the wrong side of the road, it was on the wrong side of the keep left bollards.
“The vehicle crashed and collided with a tree with the passenger side with Hasan taking the brunt.
“Mr Ahmed was thrown from the vehicle. Hasan was still inside the vehicle.
“Ahmed left the scene. He knew that he had consumed alcohol. He attended a police station after some considerable time when the effects of alcohol had gone.”
The collision happened at speeds estimated between 60-65mph.
Mobile phone footage from Hasan’s phone and CCTV footage showed the car being driven dangerously and at high speeds.
Hasan suffered catastrophic injuries and died on April 18.
Ahmed admitted causing death by dangerous driving and several other offences including driving dangerously, driving whilst disqualified, failing to stop at the scene of an accident, failing to report an accident and breach of a suspended sentence.
He was previously convicted of dangerous driving in December 2020. Ahmed received a nine-month sentence, suspended for two years.
Lynette McClement, defending, said Ahmed’s case was one of “stupidity” and “youth”.
She said:
“He told me that the regrets from that night will live with him until he dies.”
“This is a man who has taken the life of his best friend, by the way, he drove that night.
“It is an acute loss.”
Judge Dean Kershaw said: “This was your good friend.
“You are genuinely remorseful for what happened to him. In your letter, you said you betrayed your friend and you betrayed his family.”
Ahmed was jailed for eight years and 11 months.
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