Ashir Shahid: Hit-and-run driver jailed for 13 years after striking pregnant student Renju Joseph and killing her baby boy

Ashir Shahid, 20, was driving a Toyota Prius when he struck five-month pregnant student Renju Joseph, 31, as she walked on a zebra crossing in the village of Bamber Bridge near Preston on September 29, 2024. The jury at Preston Crown Court heard that the car had been travelling between 58mph and 71mph in a 30mph zone during dark and wet conditions at the time of the crash.

Mrs Joseph, who was walking to work with two female colleagues at the time, was taken from the scene on Station Road to hospital, where doctors performed an emergency c-section on expectant mother in a bid to save the life of her son Olive. Mrs Joseph was in a coma at the time, and spent a fortnight in the coma before learning of the death of her son.

A motorist travelling in the different direction said that the Prius being driven by Shahid appeared to accelerate while approaching the zebra crossing and then quickly swerved. The witness added that Mrs Joseph was “thrown into the air for quite some distance” before tumbling and rolling into Shahid’s car.

Video clip recovered from Shahid’s mobile phone showed him and his 17-year-old brother Sam Shahid, who was a passenger at the time, laughing and singing along to music while he drove erratically at speed. Videos also showed Sam Shahid putting his feet on the dashboard and hang his upper body out the window, while the driver let go of the wheel at time and made a gun gesture.

The car was abandoned minutes after the collision in a side street and was covered by a sheet before being moved on the back of a flatbed truck and being dumped in Farnworth, Greater Manchester.

Shahid was arrested days later and police examinations of his mobile phone found that the 20-year-old had searched online for “charge for hit and run human”. A video was recovered from his Snapchat in which he lip-synced to the Shaggy song It Wasn’t Me and laughed into the camera.

Voice notes from brother Sam were also recovered, with the 17-year-old being heard rapping: “Ran that bitch over, baby got packed. She still not woke up, she still asleep.”

Shahid, 20, of Windsor Road, Walton le Dale, Preston, pleaded guilty in June to causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison and was banned from driving for 15 years and one month. he must pass an extended retest to regain his licence after this timeframe.

Sam Shahid, 17, also of Windsor Road, Walton le Dale, Preston, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender and was detained for three years.

During sentencing, Judge Ian Unsworth KC told Shahid: “Your driving was nothing less than appalling. You engaged in a prolonged and persistent course of dangerous driving. Your speed was significantly in excess of the speed limit and was highly inappropriate for the prevailing road conditions.

“Olive’s life lasted five hours and 38 minutes. He did not live to see dawn. His mother never saw him alive. His life was snubbed out before it really began.”

Fellow defence barrister Jennifer Devans-Tamakloe, said that 17-year-old Sam, who has six prior convictions for 13 offences including burglary and vehicle theft, said that he rapped about serious events as it “makes it easier for him to cope with, as odd as that sounds”.

Jonathan Duffy, defending Ashir Shahid, said of his client: “Of course he knew that he had struck a pedestrian but didn’t know at the time how seriously injured Mrs Joseph was. He deeply regrets his behaviour immediately after the offence, All he can say is that he panicked and was in shock.”

Judge Unsworth told both defendants: “You seemingly have no moral compass. Throughout these proceedings you have sat with your heads down as if in shame. You have no shame.”

He added said: “Your arrogant, selfish and shameless actions put multiple people at risk including yourselves. Neither of you have a shred of remorse for your involvement that evening.”

The judge spoke directly to Sam Shahid, saying: “You sang utterly vile rap songs in which you glorified the events of that evening and speak in utterly despicable ways of Renju and her dead son Olive. It defies belief. You have an ingrained criminality and are someone who at the age of 17 seems to revel in and take pleasure from it.”

In a victim statement shared in court, Mrs Joseph, who suffered life-changing injuries including a bleed to the brain and a cracked spinal cord, said: “Everything has been ruined by that one night and the callous and reckless actions of those two people in that car. My life will never by the same again. I will never get to meet my baby, be a mummy to him or watch him grow up. They have taken my first child away from me and I will never get him back.”

The Josephs’ lawyer, Cathy Leach – of JMW Solicitors, said: “The enormity of the tragic effects of the accident and the injuries sustained, are something Renju and Nyjil will live with daily. Their lives will never be the same. They wish to retain their privacy but have specifically asked us, as their lawyers, to pass on their thanks be passed on to the many people who have been magnificent in their response to the tragedy.

“They specially want to mention the other road users and people who were witnesses to the terrible accident who took the trouble gave evidence to the police and the court.”

Det Chief Insp Andy Fallows, of Lancashire Constabulary’s major investigation team, said: “My thoughts first and foremost today are with Renju and family. They have been through the most appalling ordeal and my heart goes out to them. They have shown the most incredible dignity and courage since this tragic collision and throughout these proceedings.

“In contrast Ashir Shahid and his co-defendant have shown nothing but arrogance and a lack of remorse for what they have done.”