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A 41-year-old man has been found guilty of the murder of his 19-year-old girlfriend in Oldbury, West Midlands. The victim, Lily Whitehouse, died from severe chest injuries sustained after being forcibly crushed against a lamp-post on 5 November, following a visit to see her premature baby in intensive care. The incident was heard at Wolverhampton Crown Court, where Mohammed Azim was convicted despite initially denying the charges.
Azim had claimed that Lily was struck by a different vehicle in a hit-and-run, a story he later admitted was fabricated. CCTV footage presented in court showed Azim using his van to push Whitehouse, resulting in catastrophic trauma mainly to her right side. A Home Office pathologist detailed the extent of her injuries, including broken ribs, a fractured upper arm, a lacerated liver, and severe bleeding from chest trauma that caused her death. After less than six hours of jury deliberation, a majority verdict of 10 to 2 found Azim guilty.
Following the attack, Azim placed Whitehouse in his van and contacted emergency services, continuing to insist he had witnessed another vehicle hit her and flee the scene. However, during police interviews, he claimed no memory of the event. He later admitted under oath that he panicked and that the collision was accidental as he attempted to leave after dropping her off. Despite this, Detective Inspector Nigel Box emphasized that Azim could have avoided the tragic outcome, stating, “He could have stopped, he could have gone the other way if he were trying to get away from Lily, but he chose to drive his vehicle directly at her.”
The court was also told about the troubled nature of Azim and Whitehouse’s relationship. They met several years prior when Whitehouse was in her teens, and though she had been deeply attached to him, their relationship was marked by frequent arguments and control issues, including Azim blocking her phone number. Azim was not the father of Whitehouse’s baby and reportedly disapproved of her pregnancy, which Whitehouse concealed when visiting him. Evidence revealed that she went into premature labor after a fall following an argument with Azim. Witnesses described the relationship as abusive, with Whitehouse enduring both verbal and physical mistreatment, often hiding bruises sustained during episodes Azim called “play fighting.”
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