Motorists Jailed for Killing Mother and Daughter in High-Speed Race

Two men have been sentenced to prison for killing a mother and her young daughter while engaged in a high-speed street race. Hardeep Bhachu and Jasskamal Riyat, who did not know each other, were racing their cars on January 16, 2023, in Leeds.

The pair met at traffic lights and proceeded to drive their high-performance vehicles at speeds reaching up to 90 mph in a residential area. Dashcam footage from Bhachu's Audi TT captured the two discussing their cars' capabilities at a red light. Riyat was following closely behind Bhachu's Audi when it struck Justyna Hulboj, 27, and her daughter, Lena Czepczor, as they walked to the girl's nursery. Both victims died at the scene.

At Leeds Crown Court, Bhachu, who admitted to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, received a 12-year prison sentence. Riyat, who denied racing but was found guilty of the same offenses after a trial, was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Prosecutors told the court that the incident began during morning rush hour on the A61 in Leeds when the men found themselves alongside each other at traffic lights. They began accelerating aggressively, weaving through traffic and only stopping at red lights. Before the collision, Riyat used his mobile phone to film Bhachu, and both vehicles then accelerated away.

Evidence presented in court indicated that the Audi was traveling at approximately 89 mph in an area with a transitioning speed limit from 40 mph to 30 mph, about 65 meters before the collision. The Audi then mounted the pavement, hitting Ms. Hulboj while she was assisting her daughter. Riyat fled the scene afterward.

Judge Ray Singh, sentencing the pair, stated, "A road is not a racetrack. A powerful car is not an invitation to test its limits on a public road." He emphasized that the irreversible consequences of such driving resulted in the deaths of two innocent individuals. "Two families must now live with a loss that can never be undone," the judge added. "Instead, their lives ended on a pavement because two drivers chose to drive in a manner which placed speed and competition above the safety of everyone around them."

In a victim impact statement, Ms. Hulboj’s fiancé, Dominik Czepczor, described the devastating loss. "Before January 16, 2023, my life was a fulfillment of my deepest dreams, I had everything that was most important in life," he wrote. "Unfortunately, on the morning of January 16, when I said goodbye to my family with the words 'I love you,' I didn't know that it would be the last time I saw them." He expressed the enduring pain and the impossibility of returning to a normal life after losing the two most important people in his life.

Bhachu's defense counsel described him as a "normal person who's made a massive mistake." Riyat maintained that he was not driving dangerously and attempted to blame Bhachu for the incident.