Drug driver jailed for killing 'amazing' father-to-be

A drug driver who hit a father-to-be leaving him for dead in the road "like a stray animal" before attempting to avoid being caught has been jailed.

Cain Parker, 23, died at the scene after being struck by Taufeeq Ahmed's BMW M Sport in Hucknall Road, Carrington in Nottingham, at 22:51 GMT on 6 November 2024.

The driver, who had been smoking cannabis, had been speeding with two other vehicles "like [a] Formula 1" driver, travelling at at least 60mph - twice the 30mph speed limit - before the crash.

Ahmed, also 23, from Bestwood, was sentenced to 10 years in prison at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday.

The court heard he was earlier seen driving in his BMW in convoy with a Volkswagen Golf between Birmingham and Nottingham.

Prosecuting, Laura Pitman, said one witness, Oliver Poppleton, described the two vehicles, as well as an Audi, being driven "really dangerously", "like go karts" through the city prior to the crash.

She said Mr Parker, known as "Kenny", had been wearing a hi-vis jacket when he was hit just yards away from his sister's house where he was living at the time.

Ahmed was later arrested at his home at about 01:00, after he had attempted to dispose of his car keys, a pot of cannabis and the top he was wearing nearby.

Ms Pitman told the court an insurance policy he had taken out earlier that day was invalid because he failed to disclose he had previously been disqualified from driving.

The court heard he also had multiple previous convictions under a different alias, including dangerous driving, which had involved a police chase.

In an emotional victim impact statement, Mr Parker's sister Ceejay Fitzpatrick, told the court how she saw her brother lying in the road covered in blood after arriving at the scene.

"I saw my brother's body, his face covered in blood," she said. "I knew he was not going to wake up."

Addressing Ahmed, she added: "How did you not see him? He would have been an amazing dad. He never got to meet his daughter because of your actions.

"You left him like a stray animal while trying to cover your tracks."

Ahmed, of no fixed address, was also sentenced to a driving ban of 10 years, having previously pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at an earlier hearing in December.

He also pleaded guilty to fraud, driving while unfit through drugs, driving while insured and possession of cannabis.

Mitigating, David Outterside said at the "absolute height of Mr Ahmed's mitigation [is] his guilty plea".

He added that his case was that the Audi driver had been chasing him causing him to drive recklessly, but this was rejected by Judge Mark Watson.

In a letter written by Ahmed to Judge Watson, he said: "I know sorry isn't good enough, I know there is nothing I can do or say to make things better. I am sorry from the bottom of my heart."

Sentencing him, Judge Watson said: "Mr Parker was a young man with his whole life ahead of him.

"There can be no question that you should have seen him as he was wearing hi-vis. The reason he was struck was because you were driving too fast and in competition with two other vehicles.

"In my judgement, you were racing and you immediately drove away at speed. Your concern was with yourself, not with Mr Parker."

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