A mother whose unborn baby boy was killed by a dangerous driver in Bamber Bridge has spoken of the devastating, life-changing impact the tragedy has had on her life.
Renju Joseph, 31, was five and a half months pregnant when she was struck by a Toyota Prius travelling at high speed as she crossed Station Road on a pelican crossing near the junction with Longbrook Avenue and Fourfields. The car failed to stop.
Mrs Joseph was rushed to hospital where she underwent emergency surgery to deliver her baby. Tragically, the boy later died in hospital. She suffered serious injuries and continues to live with lasting mobility issues.
“Everything has changed for me now,” Mrs Joseph said in a victim statement. “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 be 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 collision happened shortly before 8pm on Sunday, 29 September last year. Lancashire Police’s Force Major Investigation Team and Serious Collision Investigation Unit identified the offending vehicle, which had been driven to Greater Manchester and dumped in Farnworth after the crash.
CCTV evidence led detectives to arrest the driver, Ashir Shahid, 20, of Windsor Road, Walton-le-Dale.
In June, Shahid admitted causing the death of a baby by dangerous driving and causing serious injury to Mrs Joseph. On Thursday, 14 August, he was sentenced at Preston Crown Court to 13 years’ detention, of which he must serve at least two-thirds before being released on licence. He was also banned from driving for 15 years and one month, meaning he will remain disqualified for around seven years after his release.
A 17-year-old accomplice, now named as Sam Shahid after reporting restrictions were lifted, admitted assisting an offender and was jailed for three years.
Mrs Joseph said she will carry the emotional scars forever:
“I don’t know how I will ever move on from the events of that night. I will always be reminded of what happened by the fact that my child is not here anymore and he should be. I have physical scars, but the emotional scars are the worst. There is not a day I do not think about my baby boy.”
Lancashire Police described the case as “one of the most tragic and avoidable” collisions they have investigated, and praised Mrs Joseph for her strength and courage throughout the legal process.
