Driver who mowed down mum-of-three at 65mph before leaving her to die in Nelson jailed
A driver who hit a mum-of-three at 65mph before leaving her to die in Nelson has been jailed.
Safia Karieem, 51, had been working as a carer and left an address in Nelson at around 8.30pm on December 15, 2024. Her daughter was waiting for her to return home.
Abubakar Mahmood, who was already disqualified from driving after a previous dangerous driving conviction, was driving along the 30mph-limit Manchester Road at 52mph.
Seconds later, the throttle was fully pressed, accelerating to 100 per cent. Mahmood collided with Safia at 65mph, throwing her 60 metres down the road.
Despite considerable windscreen damage to his blue Volkswagen Golf, Mahmood drove off, leaving Safia to die at the scene. He didn’t slow down or stop.
Safia’s daughter was at home waiting for her mum to return.
In an excerpt from her victim impact statement, Safia’s eldest daughter said: “As a family of three, losing our mother so suddenly and so cruelly has shattered our lives beyond repair.
“She wasn’t just my mum, but was my dad, my best friend, and my biggest supporter. She was my home.
“Because of Abubakr’s adrenaline rush, we have been left exposed, broken and lifeless.
“I didn’t just lose my mum on December 15, but I lose her every day, sometimes multiple times a day.”
She added: “I thought she would grow old, live her life, and see her family grow. I thought she would go holding my hand, with her grandkids surrounding her, rather than on Manchester Road with one daughter two hours away, and the other one waiting for her mum to walk through the door any minute.
“But that is what happened because Abubakr decided that his moment of adrenaline was worth more than my mum’s life.
“This was not an accident; this was a choice – a choice where human lives do not matter. A choice to run over people and run away instead of taking responsibility.”
Mahmood’s phone was seized during the investigation.
Officers discovered messages between him and associates stating, “I wasn’t doing anything stupid” and “If I was doing 100mph or somma [sic] it’s different.”
He had also researched the term “death by dangerous driving.”
Several videos showcasing Mahmood’s history of dangerous driving were also uncovered.
Mahmood, 20, of Farrer Street, Nelson, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, causing death while disqualified from driving, and causing death without insurance at Preston Crown Court on March 18.
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He was sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison and banned from driving for 18 years.
Det Chief Insp John McNamara, of Lancashire Police’s Force Major Investigation Team, said: “First and foremost, my thoughts remain with Safia’s children and loved ones. They have lost their mum due to Mahmood's disgraceful standard of driving.
“In contrast to Safia, who was simply making her way home after caring for someone, Mahmood, a disqualified driver, was out for a joyride, driving at speeds well above the limit. His thrill-seeking attitude turned to tragedy when he fatally struck Safia. Mahmood left Safia dying at the scene, with only his own protection in mind, attempting to cover up his actions.
“Nothing will bring Safia back to her children. We have heard her daughter’s heartbreaking statement about how their lives have changed due to Mahmood’s actions. I do hope they can begin to rebuild their lives, knowing that Mahmood is behind bars.”
He added: “We’ve seen an emerging pattern of dangerous driving in Lancashire, and it is not, and never will be, acceptable.
“Mahmood thought it was acceptable to drive the way he did. It is not. His driving took a life and destroyed others. You may think driving like this is just fun, but eventually, you’ll have to face the reality that you’ve taken someone’s life. Young drivers who think this is ok need to wake up, before it’s too late.
“If you choose to drive like this, we will stop you, we will find out who you are, and we will bring you to justice. A life should not be the price to pay for the thrill of driving above the speed limit.”