Man jailed for killing two teenagers in Oldbury crash

A man's been jailed after two teenagers were killed when he lost control of his speeding vehicle during an illegal car meet in Oldbury.

The court heard driver Dhiya Al Maamoury was "showing off" in his heavily modified vehicle when he collided with a group of people on A457 Oldbury Road at around 11.30pm on 20 November 2022.

16-year-old Liberty Charris and 19-year-old Ben Corfield, both from Dudley, died at the scene.

Ebonie Parkes and Ethan Kilburn, in their 20s, were also injured.

Prosecutor Michelle Heeley KC told the court the car, which had been imported from Japan around 18 months before the collision, had been modified so the exhaust would spit fire and had a turbo engine fitted.

She said Al Maamoury had been driving at speeds of between 54 and 57mph on the 40mph stretch of road and was "fishtailing" before he lost control completely and ploughed into the group on the pavement.

Dhiya Al Maamoury, 56, from Solihull, was sentenced today (8 November) at Wolverhampton Crown Court, to 13 years and 6 months in prison, after admitting to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury.

He was also handed a 14-year driving ban.

Fighting back tears, Damian Corfield, Ben's father, told the court how his life ended the night Al Maamoury killed his son.

He said: "He was struck down on the pavement where he should have been safe. He didn't come home. He will never come home.

"The son we had waited for for so long was gone forever. The reason I lived was taken away from me. The son I cherished and loved so dearly is gone.

"My son, my best mate, my business partner and confidant. All I do is count down the days until I can be with him again."

Liberty's mother Tracy Charris cried as she paid tribute to her "larger than life" daughter who was a "force to be reckoned with".

She said: "I had always wanted a little girl and from the moment she was born, it was me and her against the world. I would have died for her.

"She was so bright and bubbly, she loved everything and everyone. Her absence is deafening."

Balbir Singh, defending Al Maamoury, said the consequences of what happened that evening were "not intended, not envisaged and not foreseen".

He said Al Maamoury and his family had been displaced from Iraq due to the Gulf War and said he was of "positive, good character" who has "worked hard, brought up his family and moved to this country where he has continued to work hard".

He said: "He is full of regret and remorse at what has happened. Custody will weigh heavily on him and those he cares for."

Detective Sergeant Paul Hughes said: “Al-Maamoury has rightly been put behind bars for killing two young people and seriously injuring two others.

“Ben and Liberty were pedestrians on a pavement and should have been afforded some protection but due to Al-Maamoury’s dangerous driving their families have got to live with their loss forever.

“Our thoughts are with Liberty and Ben’s loved ones.”

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