Dhiya Al-Maamoury Jailed For 13 Years After Two Teens Killed at Oldbury Car Meet

Hi and welcome to this JK NEWS B'HAM Crime Report for VPN: REGIONAL NETWORKS:

A 54-year-old man has been jailed for 13 and a half years after causing the deaths of two teenagers while driving dangerously at an illegal street racing event in Oldbury. Dhiya Al-Maamoury, of no fixed address, lost control of his heavily modified Nissan Skyline and crashed into a crowd of spectators on the pavement, killing Ben Corfield, 19, and Liberty Charris, 16, and seriously injuring two others.

The crash occurred on Sunday, 22 November 2022, on Oldbury Road, where street racers had gathered for an illegal racing event. Al-Maamoury was speeding between 54 and 57mph in a 40mph zone when he lost control of his car, veering off the road and hitting pedestrians who were watching the event.

Despite the quick response of emergency services, including police officers who were patrolling the area, Ben and Liberty were pronounced dead at the scene. Two other teenagers, Ebonie Parkes and Ethan Kilburn, suffered life-threatening injuries and are still recovering.

Al-Maamoury, who was arrested at the scene, admitted to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving at an earlier hearing. He was sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court on 8 November 2024.

The families of the victims gave powerful victim impact statements in court. Liberty’s father described her as “a loving and kind” person, whose loss had devastated her family. Ben’s father, speaking through tears, said his son’s death had left him “with unbearable pain” and that he had lost “the reason I lived for.”

Detective Sergeant Paul Hughes, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “Al-Maamoury has rightly been put behind bars for killing two young people and seriously injuring two others. Ben and Liberty were pedestrians on a pavement and should have been afforded some protection but due to Al-Maamoury’s dangerous driving their families have got to live with their loss forever.”

The case highlights the dangers of illegal street racing and the severe consequences for those involved. Authorities are urging the public to report any information about such events to help prevent further tragedies.

ACCESS TO THE LAW: Understanding the Crime and Sentencing

As part of our campaign to improve citizens’ access and understanding of UK Criminal law, we will be explaining the relevant UK legislation surrounding any case law relevant to our articles:

In this case, Al-Maamoury has been convicted of causing death by dangerous driving and serious injury by dangerous driving. These offences fall under the Road Traffic Act 1988, which criminalises dangerous driving and outlines the penalties for such actions.

Dangerous Driving is defined as driving that falls far below the standard expected of a competent and careful driver, and which is likely to cause injury or damage. This could include excessive speeding, failing to stop at red lights, or engaging in reckless driving, such as street racing. If dangerous driving leads to death, the offender can face a prison sentence of up to 14 years, along with a possible driving ban.

In cases where dangerous driving results in serious injury, as seen with Ebonie and Ethan, the maximum sentence can be up to 5 years in prison. The offender can also be disqualified from driving for a certain period, depending on the seriousness of the injuries caused.

The sentence handed down to Al-Maamoury reflects the severity of the crime and the impact on the victims’ families. The court also considered the fact that street racing is an inherently dangerous activity that can have devastating consequences for both participants and innocent bystanders.

As shown in this case, the legal system takes a strong stance against dangerous driving, particularly in situations where lives are lost. This serves as a warning to those involved in illegal street racing or similar dangerous activities – the law will hold you accountable for your actions.

The case also illustrates the importance of road safety and the need for the public to report street racing events or dangerous driving to authorities. As part of Operation Hercules, West Midlands Police have been targeting illegal racing events and are encouraging people to share any relevant information via the Op Snap program.

Understanding the law surrounding dangerous driving is crucial to ensuring that such tragedies do not happen again. If you witness dangerous driving or know of illegal street racing, please report it to help save lives.

Well, that’s all for now. But until our next article, please stay tuned, stay informed, but most of all stay safe, and I’ll see you then.

Jason King

Birmingham City-Desk

Twitter (X) @JasonKingNews

Jasonkingnews@gmail.com