Warwick student jailed after causing ‘horror’ car crash and attempting to flee the UK

A student from the University of Warwick has been jailed after causing a “horror” car crash and attempting to escape the UK.

Riffat Hossen, 23 years old, collided with an Uber driver and was caught being driven to the airport by his father the next day.

Despite already being banned from driving for driving with excess alcohol, Hossen was speeding in his cousin’s Volkswagen Golf at 87mph in a 30mph zone.

At around 4:15am on May 6th this year, Hossen crashed into the Uber as it was performing a three-point turn in Erdington’s Gravelly Hill North, reports BirminghamLive.

Moments later, he ran off leaving his four passengers behind, including a friend who was unconscious and later suffered brain damage.

The Uber driver had to be cut free by firefighters and also suffered a broken shoulder.

Hossen, a Warwick student, had started a law degree with the university last year.

Hossen was arrested on the M40 the next day on his way to Heathrow Airport. With his father driving at the time, Hossen had booked a flight to Bangladesh.

The 23-year old later admitted to two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving without insurance, failing to stop after an accident and failing to report an accident.

At Birmingham Crown Court on September 28th, Hossen was jailed for four years. He was also banned from driving for seven years.

One of his friends, in the rear seat, suffered a fractured skull. He was also placed into an induced coma and stayed in intensive care for two weeks.

According to a collision investigation, Hossen was driving between 80.4mph and 87.4mph before the crash.

Judge Paul Farrer Kc described the crash as an “appalling piece of driving” and stated Hossen had a “complete disregard” for other road users.

Prosecutor Nicholas Berry told the court that: “The defendant approached [a] black cab at speed and overtook it, entering the opposite carriageway, crossing a Pelican crossing with “Don’t cross” markings and driving to the right of a small central reservation with “Keep left” bollards as he did so.”

The court was told that after Hossen and his four passengers were out celebrating a birthday night in Birmingham city centre, Hossen was asked to drive because the owner of the Golf, his cousin, was too intoxicated.

Hossen was the only one to flee the scene.

Mr Berry also told the court that one of the passengers told the defendant to slow down “on at least two occasions” and even tried to pull the handbrake up to prevent the collision.

He also added: “The defendant was arrested the following day by Thames Valley Police on the M40 on the way to London Heathrow. He had his passport, bag and a flight to Bangladesh.”

Jonathan Barker, defending Hossen, told the court that he had started a degree at the University of Warwick last year and that his criminal law tutor had even attended to support him. Barker said: “It is accepted the defendant panicked and fled the scene. That is a sign of immaturity and his inability to deal with what was becoming an extremely serious situation at the time.

“He is genuinely remorseful. The references from his father and his tutor describe him as a good person, helpful, family-orientated with a bright future.”

Featured image credits via West Midlands Police and Google Maps.

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