Mohammed Azim Convicted of Lily Whitehouse Murder by Van in Oldbury
Mohammed Azim, 41, has been convicted of murdering his teenage girlfriend, Lily Whitehouse, 19, in Oldbury, West Midlands. Whitehouse suffered fatal chest injuries on 5 November after Azim used his van as a weapon, pinning her against a lamp-post. The attack occurred hours after Whitehouse had visited her premature baby in intensive care.
Azim, from Tividale Road in Tipton, initially denied involvement, claiming Whitehouse was a victim of a hit-and-run. However, Wolverhampton Crown Court found him guilty on Friday following less than six hours of jury deliberation. Mr Justice Murray is scheduled to sentence Azim on Monday afternoon.
CCTV footage presented in court showed Azim driving his vehicle into Whitehouse. A Home Office pathologist detailed extensive injuries, predominantly to her right side, including a broken arm, fractured ribs, and traumatic chest injuries causing severe bleeding. Azim subsequently placed Whitehouse in his van and called emergency services, maintaining his false account of a hit-and-run. During police interviews, he claimed memory loss, later admitting he lied due to panic and that he hit her accidentally while trying to leave.
Detectives highlighted Azim's self-centred focus, noting his comment at the scene, "I can't believe this has happened to me." They emphasised that Azim 'chose to drive his vehicle directly at her'. The court also heard that Azim was not the father of Whitehouse's baby and had expressed unhappiness about her pregnancy. Whitehouse would conceal her baby bump when with him. The relationship was characterised by verbal and physical abuse, with Whitehouse's friend testifying that Azim would punch her, causing bruises she would hide with long clothing.
