Kingston University student Hina Shamim was killed as two men were “showing off” to each other as they raced their luxury BMW saloons in Penrhyn Road at more than double the speed limit, a court has heard.
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Farid Reza, 36, and William Spicer, 28, were driving outside the campus at “about 69mph” when Mr Reza’s white BMW hit Miss Shamim, 21, before careering into a nearby bus on March 31, 2015, a trial at the Old Bailey heard today.
Five children were travelling in Mr Reza’s BMW, with one suffering a fractured skull, a fractured jaw bone and a fractured collar bone, the court heard.
The jury was shown CCTV footage of the crash which killed Miss Shamim. She was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.
Mr Reza and Mr Spicer are accused of causing death by dangerous driving. Both men deny the charges.
Farid Reza is accused of causing death by dangerous driving
Leading the prosecution, Deanna Heer said: “The prosecution case is effectively that these two defendants were showing off to one another and the further encouraging in another to drive in a dangerous manner.
"The evidence suggests that immediately prior to the collision which killed Hina Shamim, both vehicles were travelling at speeds of about 69 mph, so going over twice the speed limit.”
The court heard how Mr Spicer, a fellow student at Kingston University, was with friends when he decided to get a takeaway from a nearby Domino’s restaurant, but “dissatisfied with the service” chose to drive to a nearby Pizza Hut. He was driving a hire car.
Mr Reza had similarly visited a nearby takeaway restaurant to pick up a menu before the two cars met near Fairfield North.
The prosecution listed numerous witnesses, including passers-by and the bus driver involved in the crash, who claim to have witnessed the two begin racing.
Ms Heer added: “Mr Spicer’s grey BMW was behind Reza’s white BMW in the same lane. The CCTV footage shows that although Spicer slowed down on his approach to the traffic junction, neither car stopped at the traffic lights which were on red.
"After they had overtaken her, [passing driver] Tamina Muwonge watched as both vehicles accelerated harshly away in front of her along Penrhyn Road.
“She was able to watch as the BMW hit [Miss Shamim], causing her to go over the bonnet and hit her head on the wind screen.
“Having crashed into the bus it span around and eventually came to a rest on the pavement.
“Witnesses then described hearing children crying as well as one child being trapped in the front passenger seat.”
The scene of the crash after Miss Shamim was hit
Mr Reza, of Surbiton Road, Kingston, was arrested the following day and Mr Spicer of Somervell Road, Harrow, the day after.
Mr Spicer told officers he was “playing with the speed limit” when interviewed, while Mr Reza decline to answer detectives’ questions, the jury was told.
Ms Heer concluded her opening statement by calling their driving “obviously dangerous”.
Defending lawyer for Mr Reza Janine Brimelow said that although there is “no dispute” over the tragedy of the their was a “combination” of factors.
Barry Kogan, leading the defence for Mr Spicer, said: “There is the question of whether he was driving dangerously. Mr Spicer accepts that he was driving the dark BMW over a short distance at a speed that was in excess of the 30 mph speed limit.
“He was always well in control of his vehicle, he maintained a good distance. At no stage was he racing with Mr Reza, he was not competing with him in any way.”
Tamina Muwonge was driving down Penrhyn Road when the crash occurred.
She told the court: “It was the kind of erratic behaviour that you try to avoid. It definetely wasn’t 30mph – it was aggressively fast.
“Both vehicles were in front at this point and then both vehicles accelerated extremely fast. It was a very quiet evening so the sound of the acceleration was very loud.”
A statement was also read to the court from Miss Shamim’s brother Hida, who was also a student at the university.
He said Miss Shamim had visited the family home in Peterborough the week before the crash when she seemed her “normal happy self.”
He added: “We don’t know exactly what her plans were but we’ve been told by her friends that she was intending to go to the library.”
Miss Shamim was in her final year as a sports science student and intended to go on to do an MA after working in Kingston.
The trial continues.
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