A 19-year-old woman has been brutally killed in a shocking act of violence, leaving behind a shattered community and a premature baby without its mother. Mohammed Azim, 41, was convicted of murder at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday for deliberately using his van to crush Lily Whitehouse against a lamp-post in Oldbury, West Midlands, on 5 November.
The devastating incident occurred just hours after Ms Whitehouse had visited her baby in an intensive care unit. Azim initially denied using his vehicle as a weapon, instead claiming that the teenager was a victim of a hit-and-run incident involving another vehicle. However, a jury delivered a majority verdict of 10 to two after less than six hours of deliberation.
CCTV footage presented in court showed Azim pushing the teenager with his van before inflicting the fatal injuries. A Home Office pathologist detailed that Ms Whitehouse's injuries included a broken upper arm, fractured ribs, a laceration to her liver, and traumatic chest injuries leading to severe internal bleeding and ultimately her death.
Azim picked up Ms Whitehouse and placed her in his van after the incident, dialling 999 and reiterating his false claim of a hit-and-run. When interviewed by detectives, he stated that he had no memory of what had transpired. In court, Azim admitted to lying about the hit-and-run, attributing it to panic, and claimed that he had accidentally struck Ms Whitehouse with his van while attempting to leave after dropping her near her home.
The court also heard details of the complex and often tumultuous relationship between Azim and Ms Whitehouse, which began when she was 16 or 17. It emerged that Azim was not the father of Ms Whitehouse's baby and was unhappy about her pregnancy, with the victim often concealing her bump when visiting him.
Melissa Wheeler, Ms Whitehouse's aunt, testified that the victim went into early labour after an argument with Azim, and was hesitant to tell him about her pains the following day. Libby Higgs, a friend of Ms Whitehouse, described their relationship as involving verbal and physical abuse, recounting how Ms Whitehouse had confided in her about Azim's 'vile' comments and assaults that left marks and bruises.
Inspector Nigel Box commented on the tragic outcome, stating that Ms Whitehouse's baby would never know its mother, and her family was utterly devastated by the loss.