Asgar Taj, Bradford jailed for death by dangerous driving

Asgar Taj, 35, of Heather Grove, was arrested by police at Manchester Airport last Monday after travelling to the UK on a flight from Abu Dhabi.

He was alongside Osama Saeed, 32, of St Paul's Road, in Manningham, who was also apprehended.

Both men were on trial last year for causing the death of a man by dangerous driving but left the UK partway through it, in October 2023.

A spokesperson for Cheshire Police said they took part in a street race on the A34, near Wilmslow in 2020 and their friend Asad Rashid, 34, from Bradford was killed when it ended in disaster.

One of the cars after the crash (Image: Cheshire Police)

They subsequently pleaded guilty to their offences after dialling into the court from abroad.

But both men failed to return for their sentencing and were dealt with in their absence on December 15 last year.

The pair were jailed for 12 years each and warrants for their arrest were issued.

Taj and Saeed appeared at Minshull Street Crown Court on the afternoon of their arrests, but had the case adjourned until last Friday, so they could be seen by the judge who issued the sentences while they were on the run.

The spokesperson for Cheshire Police said Taj was present and sentenced to an additional two months for the bail offence.

Asgar Taj (Image: Cheshire Police)

He was also disqualified from driving for eight years – six years of which he will be in prison for – and will have to take an extended retest to get a driving licence again.

Saeed was not represented in court and so not dealt with – his final sentencing was adjourned until tomorrow.

Both men, as well as Rashid and a third defendant, Mohammad Zubair Chaudry, travelled to Cheshire on September 15, 2020 to take part in a race.

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Chaudry was driving an Audi R8 and Saeed was in an Audi R3, while Taj and Rashid were riding Suzuki motorbikes.

The group approached the total fitness roundabout on the A34 at 10.10pm and all four collided with the middle of it, narrowly missing innocent members of the public.

Chaudhry's Audi R8 hit first, tearing off the underside of the engine flying through the roundabout central core to end up 135 meters further down the A34.

Osama Saeed (Image: Cheshire Police)

The two motorbikes and the Audi RS3 then hit the roundabout at about the same time.

Taj and Rashid both became unseated from their bikes as they collided with it.

Taj sustained a number of serious injuries including a fracture to his right arm and fractures to his left foot.

Rashid was struck by the RS3 as it hit the central reservation becoming trapped by the vehicle and passed away at the scene as a result of his injuries.

Chaudry, 31, of Kingsway, Cheadle also pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving but remains outstanding and enquiries to locate him are ongoing.

He was sentenced to 10 years and seven months in prison.