In a victim impact statement, his grieving mother Rehana Usman described her son as a “caring, loving, compassionate young man” who had a “genuinely kind heart”.
Two men who killed a teenage passenger when they crashed while racing at speed through east London have been jailed for a combined total of 18 years and six months. Mohammed Alam, 27, and Mohammed Islam, 25, were convicted of causing the death of Haaris Usman by dangerous driving in Royal Docks Road in Beckton on February 5 2023.
The teenage victim was sitting in the rear seat of his friend Islam’s car when the driver got into a spontaneous race with Alam, the Old Bailey heard. The pair were both driving at speed, the court was told, when Islam collided with the back of Alam’s Mercedes, causing both vehicles to lose control.
Islam’s car spun out and crashed into a tree, causing Mr Usman to suffer catastrophic head injuries and later die in hospital. Yasin Hussain, who was sitting in the passenger seat of Islam’s car, also received serious injuries to his neck and spine.
Islam was said to have been intoxicated at the time, having consumed cannabis, nitrous oxide and lean – an opioid-containing cough syrup mixture – during the day. Earlier this year, the pair were unanimously convicted of causing death by dangerous driving and serious injury by dangerous driving.
In a victim impact statement, Mr Usman’s grieving mother, from Redbridge, Rehana Usman described her son as a “caring, loving, compassionate young man” who had a “genuinely kind heart”.
“No words can truly describe the devastation my family and I suffered since the loss of my son Haaris,” she tearily told the court. “The collision that took his life has left a void in our lives that can never be filled.”
Haaris had been hoping to go to Waltham Forest College in September as he wanted to become an electrician. He was “fanatic” about football and had studied at Barnet Football Club Academy. More recently he had returned to Jiujitsu and frequently trained at Legion Grappling, where he was known for his “fierce determination and unwavering spirit” and had a competition coming up, his mum previously told MyLondon.
Jurors also convicted Islam of dangerous driving on February 3 2023, and the defendant pleaded guilty to a further count of dangerous driving on February 4 2023 at an earlier hearing.
At a sentencing hearing on Friday, Judge John Hillen said: “Haaris died and Yasin was gravely injured because both of you were driving dangerously.”
The judge said that the defendants were both speeding and their driving fell “far below” the standard expected. He said: “Harris was only 18 years old. He had his whole life before him. He was a loving son and devoted brother. He was intelligent, hard-working, caring and selfless. Nothing I can do or say will bring Haaris back to life. No sentence can ever reflect what has happened to him and those who loved him.”
Islam, of Ilford, was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison. Alam, of Tower Hamlets, was sentenced to eight years in prison.
Representing Islam, Kathryn Drummond told the court that her client has “deep remorse for his actions” and “plays the memory in his mind over and over”.
In a letter to the court, Islam – who was aged 21 at the time of the collision – wrote: “The responsibility rests entirely with me.”
Maria Karaiskos KC, mitigating on behalf of Alam, said the events of the day of the collision were “out of character” for the defendant.
She said there was “no intention to cause any harm” and “no intention to cause death”.
TH evictim’s mum, Ms Usman, said she hopes the sentences will act as a “deterrent” to other dangerous drivers.
“Those who choose to race and drive dangerously must understand the consequences of their actions and the harm they can cause,” she said. “I hope this sentence will act as a deterrent to further incidents of this nature.”
She added: “The defendants may one day complete their sentence and return to their lives but my son will never return to his.
“I have been left with a life sentence of grief. “
