Death-crash driver jailed for six years

Date published: 18 August 2008

A businessman’s son who mowed down and killed a teenager while racing his father’s car at 70mph was jailed for six years on Friday.

Pedestrian Craig Borland was hurled 128ft through the air when he hit by Ghulam Hussain (28) during a rush- hour road race with another driver.

In the moments before the impact Hussain, who worked for his father’s grocery business, was seen cutting in and out of traffic before illegally driving down a bus lane at high speed.

Craig (19), of Abito House, Greengate, was crossing the road to see his mother Denise at a near-by hairdressers when he was struck.

Mrs Borland, a 43-year old bakery assistant, heard the horrific noise made by the crash and dashed out into the street to find her son dying.

Craig suffered fatal head injuries and died four days later in hospital. Inquiries revealed Hussain, a father of two, was a provisional driving licence holder having had his full licence revoked when he was caught driving without insurance. He had also been convicted of perverting justice after lying about his role in another accident.

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, Hussain, of Milnrow Road, Shaw, bowed his head as he was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving after a trial.

He was also banned from driving for five years. Hussain denied the charge blaming another motorist for pulling out in front of him.

Passing sentence Judge Andrew Lowcock told him: “This was a grossly selfish and irresponsible piece of driving. You were racing another car at speeds of up to 70mph and Craig, who was a young man with his whole life ahead of him, never stood a chance.

“I am not convinced your remorse is genuine. And nobody who has heard or read a statement by Craig’s family or seen them in the public gallery can fail to be moved by their grief and quiet dignity.

“They may say the sentence I impose is inadequate and this is quite understandable — no sentence I pass can bring back a life. Craig was greatly loved and will be missed.”

The accident was on July 27, 2007, when Hussain had taken his father’s silver Nissan Primera car for a spin in the Oldham area.

Witnesses spotted him being followed at high speed by a blue Citroen Saxo before roaring down a bus lane along Ashton Road past a queue of slow-moving traffic.

Miss Vanessa Thompson, prosecuting, said both cars were travelling at the same speed and appeared to be racing. The blue car pulled into the lane of traffic but Hussain’s silver car continued down the bus lane.

One witness said: “The car was flying past us in the bus lane” and another said it was a “like a silver flash.”

Craig was crossing the road when Hussain’s Primera emerged from the bus’s nearside and ploughed into him. Experts later said the speed of Hussain’s car at the point of impact was up to 55mph.

Hussain later claimed he had not spotted Craig until he hit him because another car had pulled out in front of him and he had to drive on the opposite carraigeway and correct himself.

Craig was described by his family as a “fun-loving but shy young man who was always happy to help anyone who needed it”.

He attended Hathershaw Technology College and worked as a shop assistant at a Matalan store and as a barman in Manchester.

In a statement, his parents Mark and Denise said: “We are very angry that the person who did this will one day be free to walk the streets again. He is still able to get married and have children. He is still around to enjoy his life when he has destroyed ours.”