Street Racers Jailed Over Fatal Mother Daughter Crash Leeds 2026

Key Points

• Sentencing Handed Down: Two motorists have been jailed at Leeds Crown Court for a combined total of 28 years after racing high-performance vehicles along a city centre street, resulting in a fatal collision.
• Victims Identified: Justyna Hulboj, aged 27, and her four-year-old daughter, Lena Czepczor, died at the scene while walking to Lena’s nursery.
• Drivers and Custodial Sentences: Jasskamal Riyat, 37, was sentenced to 16 years in prison, while Hardeep Bhachu, 29, was jailed for 12 years. Both men were also issued six-year driving bans and ordered to take an extended driving test upon release.
• Incident Details: The collision took place shortly after 8:30 am on 16 January 2023 along Scott Hall Road (A61) in Leeds, when Bhachu lost control of a white Audi TT at speeds reaching up to 89 mph while racing Riyat, who was driving a black BMW 135i.
• Legal Pleas: Bhachu pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, whereas Riyat denied racing but was subsequently convicted of the same charges following a jury trial.
• Judicial Remarks: Presiding Judge Ray Singh emphasised during sentencing that public roads are not racetracks and that powerful motor vehicles are not invitations to test operational limits.

LEEDS (The Leeds Times) October 26, 2026— Two strangers who killed a mother and her four-year-old daughter while competitively racing high-performance vehicles along a dual carriageway in Leeds have been sentenced to a combined total of 28 years in prison.Justyna Hulboj, 27, and her daughter, Lena Czepczor, 4, were walking along the A61 Scott Hall Road on their way to Lena’s nursery on the morning of 16 January 2023 when a white Audi TT mounted the pavement and struck them before colliding with a boundary wall. As reported by legal reporters covering Leeds Crown Court for PA Media, both victims sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene.

At a sentencing hearing held at Leeds Crown Court on Monday, 26 October 2026, Judge Ray Singh jailed 37-year-old car salesman Jasskamal Riyat for 16 years and 29-year-old Hardeep Bhachu for 12 years. In addition to their custodial sentences, both defendants were disqualified from driving for six years, with the requirement to pass an extended re-test before ever obtaining a driving licence again.

What Happened on Scott Hall Road on the Morning of 16 January 2023?

As detailed by court correspondents for ITV News Calendar, the fatal incident occurred shortly after 8:30 am along Scott Hall Road in Leeds.

According to evidence presented during court proceedings and reported by ITV News, Hardeep Bhachu, of Grant Row, Leeds, was driving a white Audi TT at speeds of up to 89 mph—substantially exceeding the posted speed limit—while engaging in a competitive road race with a stranger, Jasskamal Riyat, of Buckstone Avenue, Leeds, who was piloting a black BMW 135i closely behind.

As documented by Sky News, the court heard that the two motorists were unknown to one another prior to initiating the competitive pursuit along the dual carriageway. While traveling at extreme speed, Bhachu lost control of the Audi TT, causing the vehicle to leave the carriageway, mount the footway where Miss Hulboj and her daughter were walking, and crash into an adjacent wall.

Police officers and emergency medical services attended the location shortly after 8:30 am; however, due to the severity of the impact, both Miss Hulboj and young Lena succumbed to their injuries at the scene.

How Did the Legal Proceedings and Sentences Progress at Leeds Crown Court?

As reported by Sky News and PA Media, the two defendants faced different procedural paths prior to their final sentencing on Monday.

Hardeep Bhachu formally admitted two counts of causing death by dangerous driving at an earlier court hearing. Conversely, Jasskamal Riyat denied engaging in a street race or driving dangerously, forcing the case to trial. Following deliberations earlier this year, a jury at Leeds Crown Court found Riyat guilty on both counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

During the sentencing remarks, as reported by PA Media, Judge Ray Singh delivered a firm warning regarding the misuse of motor vehicles on public highways. Judge Singh stated to the court that

“the road is not a racetrack” and reinforced that “a powerful car is not an invitation to test its limits on a public road.”

Addressing the catastrophic impact of the defendants’ actions, Judge Singh added:

“The consequences of competitive driving at extreme speed can be, and in this case were, irreversible. Two people died… They had done nothing wrong; they were simply walking to school.”

What Impact Statements Were Presented by the Family and Investigating Police?

As reported by ITV News Calendar, a victim impact statement written by Justyna Hulboj’s fiancé and Lena Czepczor’s father was presented to the court.

Reflecting on the final moments before the tragedy, the statement read:

“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.”

The statement continued:

“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.”

Following the conclusion of the sentencing, West Yorkshire Police issued an official statement regarding the conclusion of the judicial process. Senior investigating officers noted:

“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.”

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Background of Dangerous Driving Penalties and Street Racing Incidents

The prosecution of Hardeep Bhachu and Jasskamal Riyat highlights ongoing legal and public policy developments within the United Kingdom regarding excessive speed and street racing on public thoroughfares. Under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, the maximum statutory penalty for causing death by dangerous driving in England and Wales was increased from 14 years’ imprisonment to life imprisonment for offences committed after the legislation took effect in June 2022.

Scott Hall Road, a key arterial dual carriageway in northern Leeds, has historically seen local council initiatives and West Yorkshire Police traffic enforcement campaigns aimed at curtailing speeding.

Local authorities and road safety organizations, such as Brake, have continually highlighted that competitive urban driving—often involving high-performance hatchbacks and sports cars—poses extreme risks to vulnerable road users, including pedestrians on designated pavements and footways.

The trial and conviction of Riyat established legal precedent under joint enterprise and dangerous driving statutes, demonstrating that a driver does not need to physically strike a pedestrian with their own vehicle to share criminal liability for a fatal outcome if their involvement in an illegal race directly contributed to the circumstances causing the crash.

Prediction: How Will This Development Affect Local Residents and Road Safety Policy?

This judicial outcome and the substantial custodial sentences handed down at Leeds Crown Court are anticipated to have several direct effects on local residents, transport authorities, and motorists across West Yorkshire:

1. Enhanced Local Traffic Calming and Enforcement: Following the high-profile conclusion of this court case, West Yorkshire Police and Leeds City Council are likely to face heightened public pressure from community groups to implement stricter traffic-calming measures along Scott Hall Road (A61) and similar dual carriageways. Residents are expected to see an increase in mobile speed camera enforcement, static speed cameras, and targeted police patrols aimed at curbing late-night and morning speeding.
2. Deterrent Effect on High-Speed and Competitive Driving: The imposition of a 16-year sentence for a driver whose vehicle did not physically strike the victims sends a clear judicial signal to motorists. This legal outcome is predicted to act as a significant deterrent against impromptu street racing, reinforcing that any driver participating in competitive road use shares full legal responsibility for resulting fatalities.
3. Public Advocacy for Pedestrian Safety Infrastructure: Local community members and road safety campaigners are expected to leverage the outcome of this case to petition for physical infrastructure enhancements along urban thoroughfares. This may include reinforced pedestrian barriers, narrowed lane widths, and lower speed limits in residential areas immediately adjacent to school routes and nursery facilities.