A man who killed a pregnant mum in a crash has been given a longer jail sentence.
Adil Iqbal was previously sentenced to 12 years after he admitted causing the death of a pregnant Frankie Julia Hough in a motorway crash. However today, three appeal judges increased Adil Iqbal's jail term to 15 years after concluding the original sentence was unduly lenient.
They heard that Iqbal, 22, filmed himself driving at speeds of up to 123mph before losing control of a BMW car on the M66 in Bury, Greater Manchester, in May. Iqbal’s BMW 140i undertook a motorbike then swerved, over compensated and hit a crash barrier before spinning around and ploughing into the mum of two’s Skoda Fabia at an estimated 92mph.
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The mum and her unborn daughter were killed as a result of the crash. Ms Hough's nine-year-old son Thomas, two-year-old son Rocky and her four-year-old nephew, Tobias, were also badly hurt in the incident. The 38-year-old had stopped on the motorway hard-shoulder with a tyre puncture just before the tragedy.
After the case in July, solicitor Rose Gibson-Harper, who represents the victim’s family, said: “Today’s 12-year sentence is insulting and an injustice to the catastrophic injuries little Tobias sustained, and the life sentence Mrs Hough’s family were needlessly handed following her and her unborn daughter’s death due to an act of sheer stupidity.
“Last year, judges were given the power to hand down greater sentences to those convicted of death by dangerous driving – previously, the maximum tariff was 14 years but it was increased to life imprisonment. This case stands as one of the worst examples of dangerous driving I have witnessed in my 27-year career as a catastrophic injury lawyer, and we expected the justice system to fulfil its duty and utilise its new-found powers.
“It is important to emphasise that dangerous driving is not a game. It has real and devastating consequences, and we must collectively work towards creating a society that values responsible driving and prioritises the safety of all road users. We urge everyone to reflect upon this tragic incident, which should serve as a wake-up call for humanity.”
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