Don't die like my brother

Omar Shezad Mahmood, 17, lost control of a Honda Civic in icy conditions in Otley Road, Bradford, smashing into the wall of Undercliffe Cemetery in February. He was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary but never regained consciousness, an inquest heard yesterday.

His passenger Ramzan Basharat, then 16, was also badly injured. He has made a full recovery, although he has no memory of the accident or events leading up to it.

The Bradford hearing was told that Omar, of Lennon Drive, Girlington, Bradford, did not hold a full driving licence after previously failing his driving test.

Today, one of his two sisters, Saika Mahmood, 24, said: "This should be a lesson for all young men. It is not worth it, driving at such speed and losing your life.

"They should think about the families they leave behind. We have to learn to accept what has happened but it is just so sad."

The inquest heard from witnesses how the Honda, which had been registered in a false name, was seen overtaking several cars at speed prior to the accident in a 30mph zone.

Dr Nicola Hambridge, a GP, was travelling in a car in Harrogate Road towards Bradford city centre shortly before the accident occurred.

She said: "We were going about 30mph when we were overtaken by a car going very fast. I remember being quite shocked."

Minutes later she came across the accident and stopped to help. She found both men severely injured having hit their heads on the windscreen even though Omar was wearing a seat belt.

She said: "There was nothing I could do except make sure that no-one moved them and monitored their pulse. I was extremely surprised that either of them survived.

"I estimate that they were going at least 60mph."

Another witness, Christopher Patton, of Bradford, said he believed the car was travelling between 50 and 60mph.

"There were no other cars involved," he said.

A third witness, Waheed Rehman, of Bradford, described the speed of the Honda Civic as "hard core" and said the driver lost control on the icy road.

PC Jamie Wilkinson, of Bradford North police road traffic department, investigated the cause of the accident.

PC Wilkinson said the car was registered to an owner in Bolton, Lancashire, who sold the car to a man with a Bradford address last November which had subsequently been found not to exist.

He said: "We have never established ownership of the vehicle.

"However the buyer had given false details and the car was never reported as stolen.

"No one has any knowledge of the car or how it came to be in Omar's possession," he said.

PC Wilkinson said it was possible the Honda was a pool car' used by a group of people who could not legally own a car.

Anita Blow, a civilian police employee and an expert in car mechanics, told the inquest the vehicle did not have any defects which would have caused the accident.

She said skid marks on the road indicated the car began to go out-of-control on the bend which the driver had tried to correct by steering and braking but failed.

The Honda clipped a parked Ford Mondeo before smashing into the wall at a minimum speed of 49mph.

A post-mortem examination carried out by consultant pathologist Dr Viane Dabbagh revealed Omar had fractured his skull and had massive brain injuries.

Blood tests were negative for signs of alcohol and drugs.

She said: "I would say that he lost consciousness and stayed that way and would have suffered no pain."

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Deputy Coroner Mark Hinchliffe said it was an extremely tragic case with some mysterious elements which would never be solved, such as how Omar, who was a student at Challenge College, Frizinghall, came to be in possession of the car or where he was going.

Mr Hinchliffe said: "It is hard to understand why Omar drove in this way.

"He was not drunk and had not taken drugs. It was not late at night.

"It was reckless driving and it was dangerous driving. An accident was destined to occur. The tragedy is that the accident was a fatal one."