'Pillar of the community' left paralysed after being hit by speeding BMW

Mohammed Azam, 71, a much-loved and respected “pillar of the community,” was walking on Horton Park Avenue at around 9.15pm on September 21 last year when he was struck by Ashfaq Valli’s car and hurled over a wall into bushes.

The BMW 120 mounted the kerb just after Mr Azam had crossed Cecil Avenue, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

He had gone a short distance along the pavement when he was hit, causing “catastrophic” injuries that have left him paralysed from the waist down.

Valli, 25, a National Health Service IT analyst, of Lemon Street, Wibsey, Bradford, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Prosecution barrister, Abdul Shakoor, played the CCTV footage in court of the moment the BMW struck Mr Azam.

Mr Azam’s son, Bradford City Ward Councillor Nazam Azam, attended court for the hearing after preparing a victim personal statement.

Mr Shakoor said that Mr Azam was fit, healthy and active for his age, walking up to five miles daily.

He set off on one of his usual walks at 7.30pm the night he was struck by the BMW.

The court heard that there is a 30mph speed limit on Horton Park Avenue, a single carriageway residential street.

Valli’s BMW, with two passengers on board, was seen by the police driving on the wrong side of the road. A marked police vehicle had to stop to avoid it.

The police officer flashed her lights at Valli but he continued on at speed, Mr Shakoor said.

The officer turned round to follow the BMW and alert road traffic officers.

Shortly afterwards, Valli came up at speed behind Mr Azam, mounted the pavement and hit him.

Mr Azam was lifted on to the bonnet, striking the windscreen and launched into the air, the court was told.

He struck a wall and landed in bushes on the other side of it.

Valli stopped at the scene and the police quickly arrived.

Mr Shakoor said the officers did not at first realise that anyone had been struck. Mr Azam’s shoe was at the scene but there was no sign of him.

It was five minutes before an officer found him and an ambulance was immediately called.

Valli said he was “going too fast and lost control.”

“It was an honest mistake. I’m truly sorry,” he told the police.

Mr Azam’s injuries included a fractured spine, a bleed on the brain and multiple rib fractures. He had a mild heart attack brought on by the trauma and he was put into an induced coma in Leeds General Infirmary.

He had been left paralysed from the waist down, Mr Shakoor said.

Valli’s barrister, Samreen Akhtar, said he had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and was acutely aware of the life-changing injuries he had caused to Mr Azam.

He had a long stressful day at work and went for a drive, describing the incident as “a stupid momentary loss of control.”

Miss Akhtar conceded that Mr Azam’s injuries were horrific but said the sentence of imprisonment imposed on Valli could be suspended.

He had no previous convictions and many references spoke highly of him as a law-abiding and upstanding member of the community whose family were in court to support him.

He had a degree in computer science and worked for the National Health Service as an IT analyst.

Miss Akhtar aid he had stopped driving since hitting Mr Azam.

Judge David Hatton QC said it was “a tragic case” for both the victim and Valli, who was educated, hardworking and had no previous convictions.

But on the night of September 21 last year, he embarked on a course of highly dangerous driving; on the wrong side of the road, at speed in a 30mph zone, and on the wrong side of a traffic bollard, before mounting  the pavement and striking Mr Azam from behind, casting him over a wall into bushes.

As a consequence, Mr Azam had suffered catastrophic life-threatening and life-changing injuries that had affected him, his family and his friends.

An immediate custodial sentence was inevitable and one of some significance, Judge Hatton said.

Valli was banned from driving for four years and four months.