Drunken driver 'in throes of sex act' before fatal crash (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Drunken driver 'in throes of sex act' before fatal crash

8:29am Tuesday 9th December 2008 in Search By Michael Black

A Bradford car dealer has been jailed for eight years for killing a father and son in a high-speed motorway smash when he was “pleasuring himself” at the wheel moments before the fatal crash.

Imran Hussain’s powerful Audi Q7 was like a “speeding bullet” moments before it ploughed into the back of a Fiat Punto carrying Gary Proctor, 47, his wife Catherine, 44, and their 16-year-old son James who were on their way to a holiday in Florida.

Mr Proctor and James died in the collision on the M62 motorway near Rochdale, Greater Manchester, on August 3 last year.

Hussain, 32, of Como Avenue, Manningham, Bradford, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and one count of driving with excess alcohol.

Manchester Crown Court yesterday heard that Hussain’s privates were partially exposed when motorists came to his aid after the crash.

Judge Andrew Blake told him: “At the least it must have been a symptom you were not giving your full attention to driving.”

He sentenced him to eight years for each of the two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, to be served concurrently, and banned him from driving for 15 years.

Prosecutor Andrew Nuttall said Hussain, a car dealer and father-of-four, was twice over the legal limit. Seven hours before the crash, Hussain had rowed with his wife and left the family home to meet friends in Bradford, the court heard.

Mr Nuttall said the group drove around, swigging from a bottle of Southern Comfort, before going to a lap-dancing club in Leeds, where they continued to drink.

Hussain left his friends and climbed into his car, “substantial in size and power”, according to the prosecutor.

He stopped at a service station in Leeds just after 5am and was described by the cashier as “staggering and clearly drunk”.

The cashier took down his registration number and contacted police.

Hussain’s erratic driving, at speeds of up to 120mph over a ten-mile stretch, was reported to police by three groups of concerned motorists just minutes before the crash.

One motorist saw Hussain stop on the hard shoulder and throw a bottle over his car before setting off again.

Another motorist, Christian Downard, told police: “He is going all over the road and is going to kill someone.”

Mr Nuttall said that, moments before the crash, the Audi Q7 was seen lane-hopping, before veering sharply across to the nearside lane and smashing into the back of the Fiat Punto.

Several motorists stopped to help. Mr Downard and his two friends went to the aid of Hussain, and saw that his privates were out of his trousers.

He attempted to run away and hurled abuse at them.

Mrs Proctor, who was in the front seat, suffered six broken ribs. Her husband and son were trapped in the wreckage of the car for 40 minutes and had to be cut free. Both suffered heart attacks and died at the scene.

Hussain was uninjured. His mobile phone had calls to directory inquiries and he had requested the number of an escort agency before the crash but it was closed.

He said: “His attempts to contact the agency and the finding of him indicates that he was sexually excited ...at the time of the collision.”

Mrs Proctor was in court for the verdict. Mr Nuttall said she has required plastic surgery to her face because of the scars she received.

Judge Blake said: “Nothing that anyone can say or do can alleviate the suffering Mrs Proctor has borne and will bear in the future.”

Mrs Proctor, from Wakefield, said, in a statement released after the verdict: “No words or sentence will ever describe the devastation that we feel. No-one should ever go through the nightmare I have suffered.

“My whole life has been shattered. My hopes and dreams for the future have been taken away. We will never recover from this.”

Mr Nuttall said outside the court that he would consider appealing over the sentence.

e-mail: newsdesk@telegraphandargus.co.uk