Uninsured Driver Saleh Mahmoud Taha Hassan Jailed Over Fatal Sutton Coldfield Crash

A newly qualified and uninsured motorist who killed a university student after asking his passenger to film him drifting and skidding through residential streets has been handed a substantial custodial sentence.

Saleh Mahmoud Taha Hassan, aged 20, was jailed for nine years and four months at Birmingham Crown Court following a catastrophic collision that claimed the life of 21-year-old Natasha Thorp and left her friend with serious injuries.

The fatal incident occurred on Brassington Avenue in Sutton Coldfield where the defendant completely lost control of his vehicle and mounted a pedestrian pavement.

The court heard that Hassan had only passed his driving test less than two months before he got behind the wheel of the Toyota Corolla on the day of the tragedy.

Despite his lack of experience on the roads he was entirely uninsured and had spent earlier parts of the day carrying out commercial food deliveries for the Uber Eats network.

The prosecution detailed a sustained period of highly dangerous and erratic driving leading up to the fatal impact. CCTV footage gathered by investigating police officers and presented to the court captured the 20-year-old driver repeatedly drifting and skidding around the streets of Sutton Coldfield.

At one stage the vehicle was recorded travelling at speeds of around 46mph in a designated 30mph residential zone.

Further aggravating the severe nature of the offending was the revelation that Hassan had actively encouraged his passenger to record his reckless driving.

The court was told that the defendant specifically asked the passenger to use a mobile phone to film him as he performed the highly dangerous manoeuvres on public roads.

In addition to the deliberate risk-taking the Toyota Corolla was found to have been driven with a known mechanical fault.

Post-collision vehicle examinations revealed that the car possessed a defective brake which prosecutors stated was a severe problem that would have been entirely obvious to the driver while he was operating the vehicle.

The combination of excessive speed, deliberate vehicular stunts and mechanical negligence culminated in utter tragedy when Hassan lost control of the Corolla on Brassington Avenue.

The vehicle violently mounted the pavement where it struck both Miss Thorp and her companion.

Emergency services were immediately dispatched to the scene of the collision but despite the best efforts of attending medical personnel Natasha Thorp was pronounced dead at the scene.

The court heard moving tributes to the 21-year-old victim who was described as a dedicated university student with her whole life ahead of her. Her friend also sustained serious injuries in the collision and required extensive medical treatment.

Facing overwhelming forensic and CCTV evidence Hassan formally entered guilty pleas to three serious indictments. He pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving and causing death while uninsured.

Passing sentence the presiding judge condemned the defendant's flagrant disregard for the safety of other road users and pedestrians.

Hassan was handed a total prison term of nine years and four months for his actions. In addition to the custodial penalty he was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence for a period of 12 years and eight months.

Under current UK legal provisions for this category of offending Hassan will be required to serve two-thirds of his sentence in custody, equating to roughly six years, before he is eligible to be released on licence to serve the remainder of his term within the community.