A Sheffield man who killed his own sister-in-law in an accident has been spared jail time.
Despite being “entirely extraordinary,” a judge declared yesterday, the series of events leading up to Alexandra Rita Bento Magni’s death on October 4, 2021, claimed the life of the “beautiful, kind” mother-of-two at the age of just thirty.
Nevertheless, the court heard that Muhammad Umar, 36, of Calvert Road, not only considered Alexandra his sister-in-law, but he had also been supporting her bereaved children ever since, sparing him from prison time.
“This case’s facts are truly remarkable,” remarked His Honour Judge Jeremy Richardson.
“But you need to get punished because your reckless driving killed her.”
On October 4, 2021, around 2:45 p.m., Alexandra was allegedly waiting for one of her two children at a bus stop on Phillimore Road, Netherthorpe. The shelter was situated near Fitzmaurice Road, Eleanor Street, and Chapelwood Road intersections.
Muhammad Umar neglected to stop and yield at the intersection when he was travelling west on Fitzmaurice Road at the same moment.
Tragically, a Renault Clio was approaching Chapelwood Road at that very moment. The driver had no insurance and was “slightly” over the speed limit, yet in the end, they were not held accountable for what transpired.
Umar clipped the approaching Renault and sent it veering away as he carelessly crossed the give way. According to reports, two of the Clio’s wheels came off the road as it swerved and struck Alexandra’s waiting bus stop.
She was severely hurt. Despite the air ambulance’s arrival and the paramedics’ best attempts, she was declared dead at the scene
The community came together to leave flowers where she died away the day after her death, many of them in tears.
One of the first people on the scene was a nurse, who worked with a teacher from the adjacent Phillimore Community Primary School to try and save Alexandra’s life.
The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, stated: “I looked for a pulse, but there wasn’t one. I was calling out for anything to apply pressure with, not realising that she was bleeding so much that I was not going to be able to stop it.
“I really apologise. Any one of us may have been the one. I would have taken further action to save her if I could have.
When the accident occurred, Umar’s own wife and child were in his vehicle.
At the crash scene the following day, The Star spoke with Muhammad Umar on behalf of their family before he was taken into custody and charged with causing death by hazardous driving.
Regarding his sister-in-law, he remarked, “She was a wonderful person.” She was a loving wife and mother.
She was usually grinning, courteous, and nice. She treated everyone really well. She was well-liked by her neighbours and the teachers, who recognised her by her constant smile.
We’re devastated. We’re stunned right now. It has the feel of a dream. We are in shock at what has occurred.
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Muhammad Imran, Alexandra’s bereaved husband, defended Umar in Sheffield Crown Court yesterday and begged the judge for leniency.
He presented the judge with a victim impact statement in which he described Umar as “a dedicated family man” who admitted his actions, asked for leniency, and had been supporting the upbringing of his and Alexandra’s two young children, who were three and seven years old at the time of the crash.
He also wrote about how the passing of his wife had “changed his world.”
“This is the most extraordinary case,” remarked Judge Richardson. It really is a horrible circumstance.
Still, I owe it to you to make up for what you did wrong. Your sister-in-law died as a result of your reckless driving.
“You ought to have given up.
It is important to keep in mind that this is not a murder case. This is not an instance of reckless driving leading to death. It is by driving recklessly.
“The 30-year-old lady you killed was not worth the sentence I am about to impose. As a member of her family, you undoubtedly valued her life, and it has endless worth.
Muhammad Umar received a sentence of eighteen months in prison, with two years of suspension, and a three-year driving prohibition.
