A heartbroken family has paid tribute to a “bright, beautiful young lady” who died three years after suffering catastrophic injuries in a crash caused by her husband, who was driving while over the drink and drug limit.
Sylwia Borychowska was a front-seat passenger in a Vauxhall Corsa driven by Haseeb Ahmed when it left a 20mph road and collided with a tree on Mapperley Road, Nottingham, at around 6.40am on 3 August 2019.
Both occupants were seriously injured, but Sylwia suffered particularly severe internal injuries and underwent surgery to remove a large section of her bowel. She spent two months in hospital recovering from her injuries.
Nottingham Crown Court heard that the surgery left her vulnerable to infection. In 2022, she became critically ill after contracting pneumonia and died at her family home in Peterborough on 27 October that year, aged 25. A post-mortem examination later concluded that injuries sustained in the collision ultimately led to her death.
Ahmed had already been sentenced in relation to the crash after admitting causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance, two offences of driving while unfit through drink or drugs, and taking the vehicle without consent. He received a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years.
Following Sylwia’s death, however, the investigation was revisited and Ahmed was subsequently charged with causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by driving while disqualified.
The 34-year-old, of Stockhill Circus, Basford, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving on the opening day of his trial earlier this year.
At a sentencing hearing on Monday (2 November), the court was told he had consumed both alcohol and Ecstasy before the crash. His alcohol level at the time was between 86 and 111 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The limit is 80. The Ecstacy level was nearly five times the limit.
He was jailed for three years.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Mark Watson described Sylwia as a “remarkable young woman” after hearing how she had completed her healthcare degree and graduated despite the life-changing injuries she suffered in the collision.
Addressing Ahmed, he said: “Her death has been extremely difficult for those who knew her well. Her loss has been profoundly felt by them and you, her partner and husband.”
The judge’s comments followed the reading of a victim impact statement from Sylwia’s family, who spoke movingly of the lasting impact of her loss.
The statement said:
“Sylwia enjoyed life, she was a happy and talkative person with so many plans.
“With Sylwia’s death, there is an empty space in our family and in our hearts.
“It has been over four years since her passing, but the family is still struggling to make sense of this situation. We never imagined that we would lose our Sylwia.
“The lives of every member of our family have been forever affected by Sylwia’s death.
“We have to go through Christmas without Sylwia, her birthdays, Easter and many more moments. Our lives are destroyed.
“The whole family has found it difficult to even look at photos of Sylwia around the house. It breaks our hearts, as we are missing our Sylwia every day.
“Sylwia had her whole life ahead of her. She was a bright, beautiful young lady with dreams. She was studying and working to support others and was so proud to have completed her degree and graduated.
“A sense of emptiness, meaninglessness and uncertainty accompanies us every day. Sylwia’s death will have a lifelong impact on our family and we will never be the same.”
Following the sentencing, collision investigator Sarah Butler, of Nottinghamshire Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said:
“Haseeb Ahmed’s driving and actions on that day have caused unimaginable pain and devastation.
“No family should ever have to go through what Sylwia’s family has endured and continues to endure every day, and Ahmed will have to live with his own pain and guilt for the rest of his life.
“He got behind the wheel with both alcohol and drugs in his system.
“His manner of driving in a 20mph zone demonstrated a complete disregard not only for his own safety, but for Sylwia’s as well.
“I want to send a strong reminder to anyone considering driving after drinking alcohol or taking drugs. Think of this tragic case and the devastation your actions could cause.
“Don’t be that person. Nothing is worth risking your life or the life of another.”
As part of the sentence, Ahmed was disqualified from driving for three years and eight months and must pass an extended driving test before he can regain his licence.
