TikTok murder trial accused denies ‘incriminating’ themselves in …
The final defendant to take the stand in the TikTok murder trial[1] has denied incriminating himself during police interviews following the fatal crash on the A46. Mohammed Patel also claimed he “didn’t know what to do with himself” in the wake of the collision, saying he was scared.
Patel, 21, resumed his evidence at Leicester Crown Court[2] on Wednesday (June 21) after a day’s break in proceedings. He was quizzed by his co-defendants’ barristers as well as his own over a number of hours, with the accused revealing a state of shock following the crash at Six Hills in February last year.
After returning home to Braybrooke Road in Leicester[3], Patel revealed his confusion at what had actually happened was the reason he did not call police. He said: “I had just witnessed a horrible accident – I didn’t know what to do with myself.
“I was scared. I did think about calling the police but I was still in shock. But it wasn’t until a couple of days later that I thought to call them.”
When Patel was arrested more than a month after the collision killed Saqib Hussain and Hashim Ijazuddin, he was questioned by police about his knowledge of a 999 call from Mr Hussain. Christopher Millington KC, the barrister representing TikTok star Mahek Bukhari[5], believed Patel’s knowledge of the call had influenced his view of events.
During the call, which was played earlier in the trial[6], Mr Hussain was heard saying “they’re trying to ram me off the road. They’re trying to kill me – I’m going to die”. It alleged that the Audi TT containing Patel was the car being referenced in the call – a claim which Mr Millington said police had taken at face value and “shaped” the evidence from Patel.
He denied the barristers’ claim, saying the accusation was “false” and that he told the police “the truth” about the collision. He did concede that an earlier claim Mahek Bukhari’s Audi TT collided with the victims’ Skoda Fabia was a “mistake” though.
It was an admission that led Leonard Smith KC, Raees Jamal’s barrister, to question how truthful Patel’s evidence actually was. He said: “Everything you said in your interview is the truth is it? Everything?”
Mr Smith also questioned whether Patel had “deliberately misled” police[7] in his interview. Patel strongly denied this, replying: “No, why would I incriminate myself? I told them the truth.” The trial continues.
The eight defendants are Natasha Akhtar (22) of Alum Rock Road, Birmingham, Ansreen Bukhari (45) of George Eardley Close, Stoke, Mahek Bukhari (23) of George Eardley Close, Stoke, Raees Jamal (22) of Lingdale Close, Loughborough, Rekan Karwan (28) of Tomlin Road, Leicester, Mohammed Patel (21) of Braybrooke Road, Leicester, Sanaf Gulamustafa (22) of Littlemore Close, Crown Hills, Leicester, and Ameer Jamal (27) of Catherine Street, Belgrave, Leicester. All deny murder.
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References
- ^ TikTok murder trial (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Leicester Crown Court (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Leicester (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Two dead as murder investigation launched after crash between lorry and car (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ Mahek Bukhari (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ earlier in the trial (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ police (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ sign up to our newsletters here. (data.reachplc.com)