A young Blackburn man who left his friend for dead ‘in a cowardly way’ after causing an accident by driving recklessly has been jailed.
Akhlaq Ahmed, 21, will undergo imprisonment for 18 months for dangerous driving causing injuries and a further four years for possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply.
Preston Crown Court heard Ahmed picked up Atif Zarif and two others in his Audi S3 car on May 6 last year and drove around Blackburn while he showed off at the wheel. Zarif said in a police statement that Ahmed who was undertaking and overtaking over vehicles cared little when he told him to slow down at a bend on Pleckgate Road.
However, the car, moving at 47 mph, collided with a stationary vehicle with data showing he applied the brakes just two seconds before the collision.
When smoke started coming out of the wreckage, Ahmed ran away from the scene, leaving an injured Zarif to help himself.
As the accident left him with his leg shattered and three of his fingers broken, Zarif spent more than two weeks in a hospital including a day of intensive care. He underwent surgery to insert metal rods into his leg.
Zarif who was on crutches for months after the accident said he suffered a loss of confidence and his relationship came to an end due to his injuries.
"It has had a very big impact and left me in a very dark hole", he said in a victim statement.
Ahmed admitted to dangerous driving and leaving the scene of the collision.
He also pleaded guilty to another offence - possession with intent to supply Class A drugs in connection with a previous incident when he and another man, Mohammed Jaber, 21, were caught in Blackburn.
Recorder Paul Hodgkinson said Ahmed who was “undoubtedly showing off” persisted to drive dangerously and crashed despite warnings.
"Perhaps most telling of all is the cowardly way in which you left your supposed friend for dead at the scene, so concerned were you about escaping. Your friend was seriously injured and you left him to die at the roadside because you wanted to get away. Shame on you for leaving your friend in such a prone and difficult position. You had no interest in anyone there but yourself."
In addition to the jail terms for dangerous driving and possession of drugs, Ahmed also got 10 months of imprisonment for possessing class B drugs. The jail terms will run concurrently.
Jaber has been handed 24 months of suspended jail term with 10 days of rehabilitation activity requirements.
'Coward' Blackburn man fled scene of road crash, leaving injured friend in lurch
Akhlaq Ahmed is also imprisoned for possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)