The Lamborghini was travelling at up to 120mph
A woman accused of causing the death of her friend in a fiery Lamborghini crash has claimed he triggered a ‘boost’ while tampering with the supercar’s controls.
Humaira Batool told jurors that Mohammed Shaan Hussain pressed buttons inside the Lamborghini Urus moments before the vehicle began to ‘surge’.
The 26-year-old denies causing death by dangerous driving following the crash on the M62 near Ripponden, West Yorkshire, on December 21, 2022.
The Lamborghini was travelling at up to 120mph as it passed Stott Hall Farm.
It subsequently left the road, struck a barrier and overturned, with motorists unable to rescue Hussain because of fire and an explosion.
Batool, who was 22 at the time, escaped the wreckage but suffered serious injuries, including burns to around 10% of her body and a shattered tibia.
Hussain died inside the wreckage.
The court heard that Hussain had rented the Lamborghini to collect a friend from HMP Leeds before picking up Batool from her home in Bradford at around 4 am.
Prosecutor Christopher Dunn told Leeds Crown Court that Hussain was initially driving the supercar before the pair swapped seats.
Batool then drove at more than twice the speed limit in dark and wet conditions, reaching speeds of up to 143mph before the crash.
Mr Dunn said: “The defendant’s driving fell far below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver.”
Batool initially told police that she had been asleep in the passenger seat and woke when the car rolled, the court heard.
However, footage shown to jurors showed Batool leaving the passenger seat at traffic lights before taking the driver’s seat from Hussain.
Mr Dunn said: “She kept entirely shtum about that until she was forced to acknowledge it when she was confronted with unequivocal evidence proving that she was the driver at the relevant time.”
Giving evidence, Batool said Hussain had been handling controls inside the vehicle shortly before the crash.
She told jurors that he said, “Watch this, watch this” before reaching towards the console and steering wheel.
Batool claimed the Lamborghini repeatedly “boosted” after Hussain “pressed the buttons multiple times”, causing her to panic and freeze.
However, a Lamborghini expert told the jury that there were no buttons, levers or controls capable of causing the vehicle to accelerate in that way.
Mr Dunn suggested Batool was attempting to shift responsibility for the excessive speed onto Hussain, who died in the crash.
He told jurors: “You may feel she embarked on a deeply distasteful attempt to put the blame for that grossly excessive speed upon the person who died as a result of her dangerous driving.”
The defence disputed the prosecution’s account and argued that the collision could have been a genuine accident for which nobody was criminally responsible.
Defence barrister Richard Dawson said:
“Sometimes, accidents happen – accidents in the true sense where no one is criminally to blame.”
He argued that high speed alone would not explain why the Lamborghini suddenly left the road and overturned.
Mr Dawson added: “The prosecution have never been able to provide any crucial detail as to how or why the collision actually occurred. They don’t know.”
Mr Dawson also said Batool had never claimed to know precisely what Hussain touched inside the Lamborghini, only that the vehicle surged afterwards.
Jurors are expected to be sent out to consider their verdict following closing speeches from the prosecution and defence.
