Qadeer Hussain stood without regret, blaming a nine-year-old girl for a disaster he had created, before the truth was revealed on tape. In an effort to deflect blame from his careless behaviour, he said she had suddenly run into the road. However, the facts would point to a different, much more horrific tale of preventable loss and irreparable destruction.
Little Alice Williams was just travelling with her mother and her six-year-old brother, Joseph, to a summer celebration in Halifax on July 8, 2023. There should have been happiness in that moment. Rather, it became a nightmare. Hussain, driving a black Vauxhall Corsa, made a deadly choice at a pedestrian crossing on Kings Cross Road as the lights changed and vehicles halted. Ignoring the red light and the safety of people around him, he accelerated to about 49 mph.
Hussain hit Alice while she was crossing the street a few paces ahead of her family. She was seriously hurt in the collision. She was taken to the hospital right away, but despite the doctors’ best efforts, she passed away from her wounds a few days later.
Hussain first attempted to avoid responsibility. He even implied that the child was at fault when he told police that he had been driving lawfully. Dashcam footage from neighbouring cars, however, made it very evident what actually transpired. His choice to accelerate, disregarding the changing traffic signals, and finally colliding with Alice as she was crossing the street legally was caught on camera. The weight of visual truth caused his lies to fall apart.
The Bradford Crown Court heard the case. Hussain, a 55-year-old father of two from Halifax’s Essex Street, ultimately acknowledged causing death by reckless driving in February. The court heard heartfelt testimonials from Alice’s distraught family during sentence. Claire, her mother, informed Hussain that her life had been shattered by his “aggressive and monstrous” behaviour and that she would never feel whole again.
“If drivers speed, they are mean and bad because they know they shouldn’t do it – it makes me feel very sad,” said Joe, Alice’s younger brother, in a tragic impact statement. He expressed a loss that no child should ever have to deal with.
Hussain received a prison term of eight years and four months. He was also given a more than ten-year driving suspension. The anguish he caused cannot be undone by the sentence, even though it may give one a sense of justice.
The medical staff that attempted to save Alice, the police, the witnesses, and the community were all thanked by Alice’s family for their assistance during the experience. They expressed their gratitude in particular to those who came forward with dashcam footage, which was crucial in obtaining the conviction. In their statement, they advised drivers to think of Alice when making decisions while driving and to weigh the hazards they incur each time they speed.
“Alice was ours,” they said, “a cheerful, intelligent bookworm, a humorous, kind, and gentle daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin, and friend.” We shall be incredibly proud of her forever. They requested that her memory be characterised by the amazing person she was, rather than the awful manner of her death.
The Major Collision Enquiry Team’s Detective Sergeant Steve Suggitt recognised the seriousness of the situation. He hoped the sentence would provide some closure and serve as a clear lesson of the irrevocable consequences of irresponsible driving, even though nothing could bring Alice back. He underlined the significance of remaining watchful and responsible on the roads and commended the public’s contribution to holding Hussain accountable.
Ultimately, justice for Alice was secured by the truth, which was caught on camera rather than via words. And her family still treasures and guards her memory rather than her terrible demise.