Newport driver jailed for killing two women in M4 crash
Liam Slade, 33, was jailed for more than 19 years for causing the deaths of Suad Ahmed, 68, and Saado Hussein, 58, on July 17 this year. He was behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Passat, travelling Eastbound along the M4, when he smashed into the Peugeot 207 that Suad and Saado were in. Chilling mobile phone footage, taken just four minutes before the collision, showed him flying along the motorway at more than 30mph above the speed limit.
Passengers Suad and Saado, who had been heading back home from a wedding in Cardiff, were pronounced dead at the scene. Meanwhile, the car's three other occupants suffered neck and shoulder fractures along with broken ribs and required hospital treatment. Slade, who had been banned from driving six months earlier, fled the scene before he was arrested at his home address in Newport, South Wales, a day later.
He later pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by driving while disqualified and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Liam Slade, 33, was jailed for more than 19 years for causing the deaths of Suad Ahmed, 68, and Saado Hussein, 58, in July this year (Image: Avon and Somerset Police) The family of Suad said at his sentencing it was "impossible" to summarise how her death had affected them, and it had felt like "torture" not to hear from her each day.
They added: "This person who appears in court today has affected all of our family's hearts in a way no one can imagine. "It is complete agony to know that we have to live with this nightmare for the rest of our lives." Saado's family described her death as a "gut-wrenching pain that will never go away".
And they said the unavoidable consequence of not being able to quickly bury their mother in accordance with their faith made it all the harder still. They said: "Our hearts are aching. And will ache forever.
"There's nothing this court or anyone else can do to bring back mum. For us there will never be full justice. "But we hope and pray that this driver is not in a position to cause anyone else the pain and never-ending heartbreak our family has had to endure."
Shocking footage shows Liam Slade speeding at over 100mph - just minutes before he killed two women in the horror crash (Image: Avon and Somerset Police) Emergency services were called to the collision between junctions 22 and 21 of the M4, near The Prince of Wales Bridge at approximately 12.05am on July 17. The motorway was closed for several hours while efforts were made to help the injured.
Witnesses told police Slade had been seen to drive at high speed, estimated to be 100-120mph, and in a dangerous manner. He was said to be weaving the Passat between vehicles and undertaking. A video was then found during the course of enquiries recorded by the front seat passenger Slade was driving.
Slade was arrested at his home address in Newport the day after the collision. During his police interview, he told officers he'd woken up to find multiple scratches on his face, legs and body and did not know where they had come from. Alongside admitting motoring offences, he also pleaded guilty to an unrelated offence of failing to comply with a serious crime prevention order at his hearing.
His honour Judge William Hart described Slade as "a man with a deplorable record with no regard to the law". And he went on to give him a custodial sentence of 19 years and eight months, which includes five years on an extended licence. Slade also received a driving disqualification of 19 years and nine months.
He'll have to pass an extended test too should he ever wish to regain his licence. DC Dai Nicholas, from Avon and Somerset Constabulary, said: "What should have been a night of celebration, turned into a tragedy that months on is still hard to comprehend. "Suad Ahmed and Saado Hussein were returning from a wedding when they were killed by the dangerous driving of Liam Slade.
"His actions left a further three people hurt, two of them seriously, and they are continuing to recover from the physical injuries sustained that night. "Slade had been disqualified from driving in January for a drink-driving offence. "He should never have been behind the wheel that night, let alone travelling at the reckless speed he was.
"He committed two of the most dangerous acts any motorist can do on the roads. "Given the choice of calling for help for those he had harmed or protecting himself, he chose to run away. "Even when he was arrested he still refused to own up to what he had done.
His guilty pleas come in the face of irrefutable evidence about how dangerous his driving was.
"Our hearts go out to both families who have been left devastated by what unfolded on the M4 that night.
"They have shown incredible courage to prepare victim personal statements for the court and are grateful for the support they have shown to us throughout our enquiries."