Driver who rammed car into victim jailed for longer

Akeel Aurangzab, 25, was charged with attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent after driving his car into his victim.

On 27 November 2019, Aurangzab began following the victim in his vehicle around Stourbridge. He waited for him to enter a narrow lane before ramming the victim with his car at a speed, the offender estimated, of 50mph. The victim’s body smashed the windscreen and he was propelled several metres into the air before landing.

Aurangzab then fled the scene and burned his vehicle in an attempt to destroy the evidence.

On 14 May 2021, Aurangzab was sentenced to 3 years’ imprisonment at the Crown Court at Wolverhampton for attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and dangerous driving.

Following the Court’s decision, the Solicitor General referred Aurangzab’s case to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme. On 13 July 2021, the Court found the sentence to be unduly lenient and increased it to 5 years.

After the hearing at the Court of Appeal the Solicitor General, Rt Hon Lucy Frazer QC MP, said:

I welcome the decision of the Court of Appeal to increase this sentence. This was a premeditated attack by Aurangzab which had a serious impact on the victim. It was important that this harm was properly reflected in the sentence.