Two Men Sentenced for Fatal Crash Killing Mother and Daughter Leeds 2026

Key Points

• Fatal Collision: 27-year-old Justyna Hulboj and her four-year-old daughter, Lena Czepczor, were struck and killed while walking to nursery school shortly after 8.30am on 16 January 2023.
• Illegal Street Racing: High-speed driving between two strangers racing high-performance vehicles—a white Audi TT RS and a black BMW 135i—led to the loss of control that mounted the footway.
• Sentencing Handed Down: At Leeds Crown Court on 26 October 2026, Hardeep Bhachu received a 12-year custodial sentence, while Jasskamal Riyat was jailed for 16 years.
• Driving Bans Imposed: Both men received six-year driving disqualifications and will be required to pass extended driving tests before ever holding a licence again.
• Plea and Trial History: Bhachu pleaded guilty in June 2024 to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, whereas Riyat denied the charges but was convicted following a trial in August.

Leeds (The Leeds Times) October 27, 2026 – Two drivers who engaged in a high-speed competitive race along a busy road in West Yorkshire have been sentenced to a combined 28 years in prison following the tragic deaths of a mother and her four-year-old daughter. As reported by Dave Higgens of the Press Association, 29-year-old Hardeep Bhachu, of Grant Row, Adel, Leeds, was handed a 12-year custodial sentence at Leeds Crown Court. Meanwhile, his co-defendant, 37-year-old Jasskamal Riyat, of Buckstone Avenue, Moortown, Leeds, was jailed for 16 years after being convicted by a jury.

As detailed in statements released by West Yorkshire Police and reporting by Alex Grant, Senior Reporter at the Yorkshire Evening Post, the double fatality occurred shortly after 8.30am on 16 January 2023. Justyna Hulboj, aged 27, was walking her four-year-old daughter, Lena Czepczor, to nursery when Bhachu lost control of his white Audi TT RS while driving at speeds up to 89mph along Scott Hall Road. The vehicle mounted the pavement, striking the mother and daughter before crashing into the outer perimeter wall of the Vertu Jaguar Leeds dealership near Sheepscar. Both victims sustained catastrophic injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene.

As highlighted in trial coverage by Carrington Walker of Live News Network, footage obtained from closed-circuit television (CCTV) and vehicle dashcams established that Riyat was driving a black BMW 135i closely behind Bhachu immediately preceding the impact. Despite being strangers, the two men had engaged in a competitive road race. As documented by Alex Grant of the Yorkshire Evening Post, audio captured on Riyat’s own mobile phone recording revealed him laughing and uttering, “Watch this guy let it off. He is gone,” seconds before Bhachu’s vehicle spun out of control.

As noted by West Yorkshire Police Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Paul Conroy, Riyat witnessed the impact but failed to stop, choosing instead to flee the scene. While Bhachu admitted two counts of causing death by dangerous driving at Leeds Crown Court in June 2024, Riyat denied racing and maintained his innocence until a jury found him guilty of two counts of causing death by dangerous driving following a trial in August.

In addition to their prison sentences, His Honour Judge Ray Singh disqualified both defendants from driving for six years, specifying that each man must complete an extended driving test before obtaining a licence in the future.

What Details Emerged During the Leeds Crown Court Sentencing?

What Did the Presiding Judge Say to the Defendants?

As reported by Dave Higgens of the Press Association, Judge Ray Singh delivered a stern rebuke to both men as he handed down their sentences at Leeds Crown Court. Addressing Bhachu and Riyat directly, Judge Singh stated:

“A road is not a racetrack. A powerful car is not an invitation to test its limits on a public road.

“The consequences of competitive driving at extreme speed can be, and in this case were, irreversible. Two people died. One of them was a 27-year-old mother, the other was her four-year-old daughter. They had done nothing wrong; they were simply walking to school.

“Two families must now live with a loss that can never be undone. Justyna and Lena should have gone to school that morning. They should have returned home. They should have continued with their lives. Instead, their lives ended on a pavement because two drivers chose to drive in a manner which placed speed and competition above the safety of everyone around them.”

What Was Shared in the Victim Impact Statement?

As published by Alex Grant of the Yorkshire Evening Post and ITV News Calendar, a moving victim impact statement written by Justyna’s fiancé and Lena’s father was read aloud during court proceedings. Describing the total collapse of his life, he wrote:

“Before 16 January 2023, my life was a fulfilment of my deepest dreams, I had everything that was most important in life. I had a good job, a wonderful fiancée, Justyna and a wonderful daughter, Lena.

“Unfortunately, on the morning of January 16, when I said goodbye to my family with the words ‘I love you’, I didn’t know that it would be the last time I saw them. When I was informed about their deaths, my whole world collapsed in one second.

“Every day I feel a huge void after their departure, and I imagine what it would be like if they were still alive. We had so many plans and dreams and in one moment it all ended… This nightmare will last for the rest of my life.

“I know that I will have to live with the burden of losing the two most important people in my life for the rest of my life. My dream was to have a wonderful family, and I must say that it came true for a short while, but that was taken away from me on the 16th of January. Unfortunately, all that remains are wonderful memories and a constant fight for the next day, which is not easy.”

How Did Investigating Officers Respond to the Verdict?

As officially released by West Yorkshire Police, Detective Inspector Paul Conroy reflected on the conclusion of the legal proceedings and the impact on the bereaved relatives:

“Riyat witnessed this collision but instead of stopping to check if those involved were okay, he left the scene. He denied his involvement but was convicted thanks to the extensive footage showing his speeding vehicle in the moments leading up to the collision.

“A woman and her young daughter have died because of the actions of these men, and I know no sentence will ever feel enough to compensate for the lives that have been lost.

“This sentencing hearing though does mark the end of a long criminal justice process for Justyna and Lena’s family. It is over two years since Bhachu admitted his part in this tragic incident and I know that the wait for justice has taken its toll. My thoughts are firmly with them today.”

Background of the Development

The sentencing of Hardeep Bhachu and Jasskamal Riyat marks the conclusion of a complex legal investigation lasting more than three years following the January 2023 crash on Scott Hall Road (A61).

The incident triggered widespread local concern in Leeds over road safety and the dangers posed by aggressive, high-speed driving in suburban areas. Immediately following the collision, West Yorkshire Police launched a major collision inquiry involving forensic collision investigators, dashcam analysis, and extensive CCTV retrieval along the A61 corridor.

Bhachu, who was injured during the crash when his car collided with the dealership wall, was arrested shortly after receiving treatment. He formally admitted his guilt in June 2024 at Leeds Crown Court. However, the case against Riyat required comprehensive digital forensic work to prove his direct involvement in competitive driving, despite his vehicle not making physical contact with the pedestrians or Bhachu’s car. Riyat’s subsequent trial in August established a legal precedent under joint liability for dangerous driving, proving that racing on a public road creates shared criminal responsibility for resulting fatal outcomes.

Prediction: How This Development Can Affect the Particular Audience

This development and the custodial sentences handed down by Leeds Crown Court are likely to impact several key groups across West Yorkshire and the wider national community:

• Local Residents and Pedestrians in Leeds: The imposition of significant prison sentences (12 and 16 years) serves as a substantial judicial deterrent against illegal street racing and excessive speeding in residential areas. Pedestrians and families using arterial routes like Scott Hall Road may see increased police traffic enforcement and local council infrastructure reviews aimed at preventing similar incidents.
• UK Road Users and Drivers of High-Performance Vehicles: The court’s conviction of Riyat—who did not physically hit the victims but participated in the race—sends a clear legal precedent to drivers nationwide. Motorists engaging in spontaneous or organized speed competitions on public roads face severe joint criminal liability, long-term incarceration, and extended driving bans.
• Road Safety Advocacy Groups and Law Enforcement: The successful prosecution using dashcam footage, CCTV, and mobile phone evidence reinforces police capabilities to investigate complex fatal driving incidents. Road safety charities are likely to use this high-profile case in campaigns highlighting the catastrophic real-world consequences of treating public highways as racetracks.