Luton driver jailed after leaving motorcyclist with life-changing injuries in hit-and-run

Ahsan Mahmood, aged 31, was driving a Mercedes on New Bedford Road, Luton, on March 15, 2024, when he undertook another vehicle and collided with the motorcycle.

Instead of stopping after the crash, he turned his vehicle around and drove away.

Mahmood did not report the crash to police until 27 hours later and was subsequently arrested at his workplace.

When interviewed by police, Mahmood claimed the motorcyclist had caused the collision by speeding and said he had left the scene because he panicked.

But Mahmood, from St Lawrence Avenue, Luton, was found guilty of causing serious injury by dangerous driving following a three-day trial in June and was sentenced on Friday, September 4, to two years and nine months in prison.

He was also disqualified from driving for four-and-a-half years and will have to take an extended driving test.

The motorcyclist, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Luton News: “It has been incredibly difficult to get my head around how someone could drive away and leave another human being in such an extremely vulnerable state without knowing whether they would survive or receive the help they desperately needed.

“The last two and a half years have been extremely difficult for both me and my family. Following the collision, I spent almost eight weeks unable to move independently and had to learn to walk again.

“I have undergone multiple operations and, more than two years later, I am still undergoing further surgeries and treatment as a result of my injuries.

“My recovery has been long and difficult, and the effects of what happened that day have extended far beyond the immediate injuries.”

The victim, who was self-employed, was unable to work following the crash.

But he thanked members of the community who stopped to help him after the collision and the officers involved in the investigation.

He said: “In particular, I would like to thank Detective Constable Boris Kahn for the work he did in bringing this case to its conclusion.”

The victim also welcomed changes made to the junction where the collision happened.

He said: “Motorcyclists and cyclists are among the most vulnerable people on our roads, and this collision has shown me first-hand just how devastating the consequences of dangerous driving can be.

“I am therefore very pleased that Luton Council has since made improvements to the junction where the collision happened, helping to make it safer for everyone who uses it.”

Detective Constable Boris Kahn, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Serious Collisions Investigation Department, said: “Mahmood's dangerous driving had devastating consequences for the motorcyclist, who was left with serious injuries as a result of this collision.

“Rather than stopping to check and take responsibility for his actions, Mahmood chose to leave the scene and didn’t contact police until more than a day later.

“His actions that day showed a complete disregard for the safety of other road users.

“I would also like to thank the witnesses who came forward to assist our investigation and helped ensure Mahmood was held accountable for his actions.”