A speeding driver who reached speeds of over 100mph before causing a crash that killed two women on the M20 has been jailed for 15 years. Bilal Tahir, 29, was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday 5 June after pleading guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
The incident occurred on the morning of 17 October 2022 near West Kingsdown during heavy rain. Dr Habiba Hajallie lost control of her car after aquaplaning on standing water, coming to a stop on the hard shoulder facing the wrong direction. Two motorists, Lisa Webber and Mark Heap, stopped their vehicles to assist her. As the three individuals stood on the hard shoulder, Tahir’s black BMW X5 crashed into them.
Dr Hajallie and Ms Webber were pronounced dead at the scene, while Mr Heap sustained serious injuries. Although Tahir, of Welling, London, initially passed roadside impairment tests and claimed in a voluntary interview that he had been driving with due care, an investigation by the Serious Collision Investigation Unit disproved his account. Vehicle, mobile phone, and GPS data revealed Tahir had been continuously speeding, travelling at 98mph just five seconds before losing control on the standing water.
In addition to his 15-year prison sentence, Tahir was disqualified from driving for 16 years. The prosecution marked the first time GPS data has been utilised in court for a collision case in Kent.
Detective Constable Jim Galbraith, the investigating officer, said:
‘The deaths of Dr Habiba Hajallie and Lisa Webber, and the significant injuries caused to Mark Heap are a tragedy caused by the actions of one dangerous driver.
‘Bilal Tahir was speeding recklessly that morning in appalling weather conditions where visibility was poor and rain was pooling on the carriageway. He failed to recognise the significant risk he posed to other road users and has devastated multiple lives as a result. He wouldn’t accept responsibility for his actions until the weight of evidence against him led him to enter a guilty plea.
‘Speeding risks causing death or serious injury and poor weather conditions increases this threat significantly. Kent Police has a zero tolerance policy for those who choose to break the speed limit and our officers will continue to crack down on drivers who endanger other road users.’