A Birmingham Crown Court judge harshly criticized character reference letters submitted on behalf of Saqlane Zafar, a driver convicted of causing the death of 21-year-old student Ryan Sandhu. The letters, penned by Zafar’s partner and a local mosque imam, were described as “nauseating” for attempting to defend Zafar’s actions following the fatal crash.
Zafar, 28, from Saltley, was arrested after he admitted to causing death by dangerous driving. Police found that he had consumed alcohol and inhaled nitrous oxide before recklessly speeding down the Aston Expressway (A38(M)) at 91 mph. He crashed into the back of Ryan Sandhu’s Fiesta, killing the Staffordshire University student who had been returning home from a friend’s birthday celebration.
Following the collision, Zafar fled the scene with the assistance of his friend Muhammad Hamza, 29, from Sparkbrook. Police pursued Hamza in a high-speed chase. Hamza was later convicted of perverting the course of justice and dangerous driving after initially denying involvement.
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During sentencing, Judge Peter Cooke dismissed letters from both Zafar’s partner, who claimed he was “deeply remorseful,” and the mosque imam, who stated Zafar was “burdened by guilt.” The judge pointed out that Zafar only pleaded guilty at the start of his trial when confronted with overwhelming evidence, contradicting the claimed remorse.
Similarly, a letter from Hamza’s wife describing him as caring and cooperative was rejected. Judge Cooke emphasized that Hamza had “told a pack of lies” during his trial.
The tragic crash occurred just after midnight on June 2, 2024. Ryan Sandhu had been on his way home ahead of a funeral for his late uncle, making the loss even more poignant. CCTV footage revealed Zafar narrowly missed a road worker and almost collided head-on with another vehicle before the fatal impact.
Zafar’s own letter of apology to Sandhu’s family was noted by Judge Cooke as “very late” remorse. Accordingly, Zafar was sentenced to 15 years in prison and banned from driving for the same period.
Hamza, acknowledged as a hard-working family man with struggles related to alcohol and violence, received a four-and-a-half-year sentence and a driving ban of five years and three months.