Watch: Heartbreaking footage released of teenagers killed as merry youngsters at Oldbury street racing event

Ben Corfield, aged 19, and Liberty Charris, who was 16, died at the time Dhiya Al-Maamoury behind the wheel of a Nissan Skyline crashed into a crowd of pedestrians standing on the sidewalk.

It happened on the evening of November 20, 2022, during an illegal street racing event organized along Oldbury Road, Oldbury.

Street racers used the section of the Oldbury Road between roundabouts with Spon Lane South and Rood End Road to perform circuits, West Midlands Police said.

Al-Maamoury, 56 years old, was driving at a speed of approximately 54 to 90 km/h on a 60 km/h road before losing control of the vehicle and veering off the roadway. captured on camera.

Liberty and Ben were pronounced dead at the scene, while teenagers Ebonie Parkes and Ethan Kilburn were taken to hospital with life-threatening and life-changing injuries from which they are still recovering.

Al-Maamoury, of Hobs Moat Road, Solihull, pleaded not guilty in March to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

But in September, Al Maamoury changed his pleas and admitted causing the deaths of the two teenage friends and seriously injuring two others.

On Friday (November 8) at Wolverhampton Crown Court, the 56-year-old was sentenced to 13 and a half years in prison.

Now West Midlands Police have released old footage of Liberty Charris as a child, putting on a ‘radio show’ in what appears to be her bedroom.

In the video she says: “I love pretending I have my own radio show, doing the top 10 and discovering song lyrics.

“Later I’d like to interview Christian O’Connell after reading his new book ‘Radio Boy’. But first, here’s the ultimate ‘haven’t heard it in a while’, ‘Happy Radio’ by Edwin Starr, dance along.”

The cheerful youngster then continues dancing to the music. Other video footage shows Ben Corfield happily singing along to music in the car.

In a powerful victim impact statement read out in court, Liberty’s father described feeling “devastated” by her death.

He said: ‘Liberty had so much to live for and give, she treated everyone and everything with love and kindness.

“The fact that she is gone is devastating to me, her entire family and everyone who had the pleasure of Freedom in their lives during her short life of sixteen years. Freedom will be remembered forever by so many.

“The family bond could not be stronger and that is why the loss of freedom has such a dramatic impact on all of us.”

Ben’s father, Damian, also explained his tragic loss in his victim impact statement, describing his son as a “caring” person who would “do anything to help anyone”.

He said, “That night, November 20, the reason I lived was taken away from me. My only son who I cherished and loved so deeply was murdered for nothing.

“The pain of losing a child is unbearable. It is an unimaginable, heartbreaking pain that you carry with you every second of the day and night and that never goes away.”

Det Sergeant Paul Hughes, from the West Midlands Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit, 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 the sidewalk and should have been given some protection, but Al-Maamoury’s dangerous driving has left their families living with their loss forever. Our thoughts are with Liberty and Ben’s loved ones.”

Head of Road Policing at the force, Supt Gareth Mason, added: “Al-Maamoury was 54 years old, proving that it is no longer ‘boy racers’ driving dangerously and speeding on our roads.

“This case illustrates how dangerous street racing events are, and we are doing everything we can to tackle these illegal gatherings.

“We have recently seen an injection of resources into road policing across the force, with more staff, more vehicles and more technology.

“Under Operation Hercules we make arrests, puncture tyres, revoke licenses and collect information on where street racing regularly takes place.

“However, we need the public’s help. If you have dashcam or mobile phone footage of street racing or dangerous driving, please send it to us.”