Though a speeding BMW driver killed both a pregnant mother and her unborn child in 2013, he recently was sentenced to serve only six months in prison for his reckless behavior.
On Sept. 6, 2013, Tahira Parveen, pregnant with her third child, had just dropped off her daughter for her first day of school in Small Heath, Birmingham, England, according to The Daily Mail. While walking home, she was hit by 23-year-old Shammas Rehman who was speeding in a car he borrowed from a friend, according to the report.
When the accident occurred, Parveen was pinned against a wall, which crumpled on top off her and her unborn child. Another mother and her two children also were injured in the incident. One of the victims was a 4-year-old boy on his way to his first day of school, the report states.
According to authorities, the BMW that Rehman borrowed was more powerful than the Smart car he was accustomed to driving. Witnesses testified that he had lost control of the vehicle, which was spinning onto the pavement and hit the women and their children.
The Daily Mail reported that “the car would have failed an MoT test because its Dynamic Stability Control system was faulty, and was told a driver should ‘moderate speed and exercise caution’ with such an issue.”
The court heard that Rehman ignored the warning light and did not adjust his driving in any way.
The Birmingham Crown Court recently sentence Rehman to 12 months in prison, but he will only serve six months, after pleading guilty to the crime.
Judge Francis Laird said Rehman appeared to be truly sorry for his actions.
Click here to sign up for pro-life news alerts from LifeNews.com
“The consequences of your behavior have been catastrophic,” Laird told Rehman. “I have read letters from yourself, your father and others. The combination of these documents paint a picture of a young man who is decent, law-abiding and sensitive. I accept your remorse is not based on the predicament you are in here today, but it’s because of a genuine and deep-seated sadness for what happened. You appear to be genuinely very sorry for what happened.”
Parveen’s husband, Zubair Hussain, was rightly upset by the short sentence. After the hearing, he described the sorrow that his wife’s death brought the family.
“When a mother’s life is taken away, it leads to a huge vacuum that is difficult to fill, especially in this case,” Hussain said. “My children will always carry the psychological burden of this terrible tragedy. My faith, family and friends have enabled me to be strong in what is still a devastating tragedy.”
This is a heartbreaking reminder of the value of human life both born and unborn, and the tragedy of careless behavior toward life.
