A NINE-YEAR-OLD girl walking to a mosque with her mother was fatally injured when a ‘racing’ white Audi A5 car struck her on a pavement, a court heard.

Nineteen-year-old Adil Manir swerved to avoid a turning taxi in Bacup Road, Rawtenstall, moments before the collision involving Aleena Kauser, Burnley Crown Court was told.

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Travelling just two metres behind him, at speeds of between 55 and 64mph, was a green VW Golf driven by 23-year-old Mohsen Saddique, it is alleged.

Manir, formerly of Beech Street, Rawtenstall, has pleaded guilty to causing the death of Aleena by dangerous driving last September. But Saddique, formerly of Wheatholme Street, Rawtenstall, has denied the same charge and is facing a trial.

Jeremy Grout-Smith, prosecuting, said the girl’s uncle, Shiraz Ali, was pulling away from offering Aleena and her mother a lift to the mosque.

The court heard Manir’s Audi had just overtaken a Vauxhall Corsa, driven by eyewitness Mark Roberts, closely followed by Saddique’s Golf, when tragedy struck.

Mr Roberts later told police how the driver of the Audi appeared to lose control, after seeing the taxi, and mounted the footpath, where it struck Aleena and her mother.

CCTV footage has been shown to jurors, which the prosecution alleges shows the two cars ‘tailgating’ as each travels along Bacup Road., past the town’s cricket ground and health centre.

Arrested and interviewed about the offence later, the jury were told Saddique said he had been going to visit a friend further along Bacup Road, at time of the incident.

He claimed that both his and Manir’s car had been slowing immediately before the collision, an assertion contradicted by the evidence of Mr Roberts, the court heard. Saddique denied he had been ‘racing’ with Manir immediately before the fatal crash, jurors were told.

Mr Grout-Smith said that there was no issue that Aleena received her fatal injuries after being struck by Manir’s Audi but Saddique’s driving could also have played a part.

He told jurors there had been a ‘tacit’ agreement between the pair that they would keep up with each other, encouraging each other to speed.

“It does not have to be the main cause of Aleena’s death, as long as it contributed to it,” said Mr Grout-Smith.

Saddique has been previously bailed to an address in Rowsley Street, Keighley, and Manir, who was banned from driving, must wait until the outcome of the trial before learning his fate.