Alisha Goup: Oldham 'boy racers' who killed girl, 16, in crash jailed

Two "boy racers" whose dangerous driving chase through the streets of a town centre resulted in a 16-year-old girl's death have been jailed.

Omar Choudhury, 22, and Hamidur Rahman, 24, both of Oldham, were using the roads as their "personal racetrack" when the former mounted a pavement and killed Alisha Goup in February.

She had been walking to college and "should have been safe", Greater Manchester Police said.

The pair were jailed for 14 years.

Choudhury, of Broadway, and Rahman of Tilbury Street, were found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving at Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court.

CCTV captured them racing two BMW cars through the town before Alisha was struck and killed on her way to Oldham Sixth Form College on 23 February.

Police said they had earlier had a "petty disagreement" and were seen at one stage reversing on the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic.

Alisha was on Rochdale Road when Choudhury lost control after crashing into a Ford Fiesta as he attempted to overtake on the wrong side of the road.

He mounted the pavement and Alisha died at the scene.

Choudhury then continued driving but ground to a halt nearby where members of the public detained him until police officers arrived.

He then claimed to officers: "I was going too fast because I was trying to get away because these men were chasing me with a knife."

Later, after his arrest, he asked: "Have I killed someone?"

The pair had earlier rowed and Rahman was seen running towards Choudhury's car brandishing a baseball bat, police said.

Officers later found Choudhury had been driving at 66 mph (106 km/h), more than double the speed limit.

They found videos on his phone of him "brazenly showing off", the force said, while the court heard he had a history of dangerous driving and was involved in a police pursuit in December 2022.

In police interviews Rahman denied the manner of his driving was responsible for causing the death of Alisha, as he had turned off into a side road beforehand.

In statements to the court, Alisha's parents said: "This has been the most difficult time of our life, knowing Omar Choudhury has killed our daughter and that he has been trying to defend the indefensible."

They said their "whole world fell apart" and she was "the most caring, selfless, sensible person you could meet" and "the glue" that held the family together.

After the sentencing, Sgt Louise Warhurst said: "Alisha was walking along the footpath where she should have been safe.

"Tragically, Choudhury and Rahman were treating the public highway as their personal race track with no regard whatsoever for members of the public.

"Both these men drove dangerously at astonishing speeds because of a petty disagreement."

The pair were also both disqualified from driving for a minimum of 12 years.

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