A prominent consultant vascular surgeon has been sentenced to three years in prison following a tragic collision which claimed the life of a father of two on a rural Northamptonshire road. Dr Hammanjulde Hammawa, aged 65, was behind the wheel of his black Mercedes when he made the fatal decision to overtake a lorry by crossing double white lines while travelling to work. The incident occurred on 29 November 2022 on the B645 near Hargrave.
The high-speed manoeuvre ended in disaster when Hammawa’s vehicle collided head-on with a silver Yamaha motorcycle driven by Maciej Stepien. Mr Stepien, a technical engineer and highly regarded head of IT at a Cambridgeshire firm, had celebrated his 40th birthday just days earlier. Despite emergency services arriving quickly at the scene, Mr Stepien succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
Initially, Dr Hammawa denied responsibility for the crash and pleaded not guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. However, he later changed his plea to guilty, and Northampton Crown Court sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment on Friday. His conviction has sparked renewed focus on the serious consequences of dangerous driving, regardless of the perpetrator’s professional background.
During the sentencing, the court listened to a moving victim impact statement presented on behalf of Mr Stepien’s wife, Joanna. Her words painted a picture of a talented and compassionate individual, respected both at work and in his community. She spoke tenderly of his technical expertise—earning him the affectionate nickname “magic” among colleagues for his ability to solve complex problems—as well as his longstanding commitment to helping others.
Joanna Stepien described her late husband not just as a statistic but as an exceptional person of “many talents, skills and passions,” highlighting the depth of the loss felt by those closest to him. She described him as a devoted father and friend, particularly emphasising the devastating impact the tragedy has had on their young children, who were just four and six years old at the time of the incident.
There is a deep sense of injustice shared by the family, encapsulated in Mrs Stepien’s comment: “One day, and way too soon, Mr Hammawa’s sentence will come to an end; we on the other hand will be left with this pain and emptiness forever.” The life-altering consequences for the Stepien family serve as a stark reminder of the irreparable harm reckless driving can cause.
Law enforcement officials have also voiced their concerns. Detective Constable Lee Norton, who worked on the investigation, remarked that the crash was entirely preventable. He underlined the message that rushing, no matter the circumstances, cannot justify putting lives at risk. DC Norton encouraged all drivers to carefully consider the potential ramifications of their actions, particularly in moments of time pressure.
Northamptonshire Police have emphasised that the circumstances of the collision offer a grim lesson in the importance of adhering to road safety rules. Dr Hammawa’s decision, reportedly made due to his lateness for a clinic appointment at Irthlingborough’s Nene Clinic, has resulted not only in the end of one life but the permanent devastation of a young family.
The case has prompted calls for ongoing education around road safety, especially among professionals who often face time constraints. The medical community, too, has been shaken by the news, as colleagues and patients process the ramifications of Dr Hammawa’s actions.
Ultimately, no custodial sentence can remedy the loss for Mr Stepien’s family. As his wife poignantly stated: “Maciej brought so much love and laughter and happiness into our lives and now he is gone forever.” The void left behind exemplifies the profound and far-reaching consequences of even a single moment of disregard on the road.