A speeding driver who lied to the police has been sentenced to three years and four months in prison for causing death by dangerous driving.

Omar Tariq pled guilty at Wolverhampton Crown Court after a blend of concerted police work and telematics data expertise from Asset Protection Unit proved he was speeding, and that he switched seats with his girlfriend after the collision.

Tariq, 31, was adjudged to have killed a pedestrian near Quinton, Birmingham after speeding along Hagley Road West and hitting Peter Price, 39, on Saturday 29 November 2014. Tariq failed to stop and drove a further third of a mile before calling the police.

Originally Tariq, a Customer service agent from Stourbridge, claimed that he was not driving his girlfriend’s courtesy car, a white Mercedes E250 convertible, at the time of the incident.

In his police interview, Tariq further claimed that he had been driving towards Birmingham to collect his sister from work, and “wasn’t speeding or doing ridiculous speeds”.

However, a telematics device in the car allowed APU to ascertain Tariq was, in fact, lying. By interrogating the data generated by the technology within the vehicle, APU was able to provide clear-cut information suitable as evidence in court.

The APU team, led by a team of former police officers, was able to review the vehicle’s telematics system to establish a precise timeline of events before and after the crash. The data available from the incident proved unequivocally that the Mercedes was speeding at 61 mph on the road with a 40 mph limit at the time of the incident. The analysis established detailed information about almost every input the driver made while at the wheel.  

Police also proved that Tariq was driving the car, as he pulled in further down the road to switch seats with his girlfriend. Tariq was not permitted nor insured to drive the vehicle.

His girlfriend, Parvinder Ubhi, 23, a health and safety officer, was prosecuted for permitting use of the vehicle without valid insurance and obstructing the police in its execution of its duty by falsely claiming she was driving.

Neil Thomas, director of investigative services at APU, said: “This is a tragic case where Mr. Price was almost home and was killed by the actions of Tariq. Witnesses had seen the Mercedes being driven at high speed prior to the collision, with one even commenting that the driver was driving like an idiot. The expert evidence we were able to supply helped provide the court with the exact speeds being driven which were well in excess of the speed limit. I’m glad we have been able to collaborate with the police to ensure the correct sentencing of a serious crime, and I hope play our part in helping to afford Mr Price’s family some justice.

“When the police can work alongside the private sector, we can achieve exceptional results. However, a lack of resources means police forces face a technology skills gap – telematics experts are required to generate the evidential data required.   

“APU has a unique pool of resources and knowledge which allows it to interpret complex data generated by telematics systems. This can help both victims of motor crime and innocent motorists.”

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