Merrylands West: Sentence submissions begin for Mohammad Saleh after Cumberland Highway race led to Claire Georgey’s death

A judge has delivered scathing remarks to a man whose street racing ultimately led to the death of a woman in western Sydney. Find out what happened in court.

Claire Georgey’s life came to a short end a week after a fiery crash at Merrylands West.

A judge has chastised a street racer – whose speeding ultimately led to the death of Claire Georgey – for shifting the blame of his poor driving record.

Mohammad Abdulmunim Saleh and his mate, real estate agent Jim Spiros Malamas raced each other along the Cumberland Highway in their high-performance cars on September 7, 2020.

Saleh’s Nissan Skyline sports car collided with Claire Georgey’s Subaru Forester wagon at the intersection of the highway and Bruce St at 10.30pm when she was on her way home from work.

The former Merrylands High School student’s vehicle burst into flames and she died after undergoing surgeries and fighting for life in hospital for a week.

Saleh, 32, who is on bail, faced Parramatta District Court on Thursday when he was due to be sentenced for the devastating collision, which he pleaded guilty to last year.

Claire Georgey died a week after a horrific crash on the Cumberland Highway at Merrylands West.

The Merrylands woman was on her way home from work.

His lawyer David Dalton SC told the court Saleh’s poor driving record was “no doubt a concern’’.

“I accept on the outset it’s a very poor driving record,’’ he said. “These are terrible, these are traffic and very terrible circumstances, I know that.’’

He told the court Saleh was convicted after an aggravated burnout in 2017 when he received a good behaviour bond.

When he said Saleh did the burnout after the death of his father, Judge Stephen Hanley criticised the Guildford man, who was supported in court by a large group of family and friends.

“This man doesn’t take responsibility,’’ he said.

“Every time there’s a problem with his record, there’s some explanation.

“Every offence, there’s someone else to blame … whether it’s burnouts – it doesn’t read well.’’

Mohammad Abdulmunim Saleh (right) leaves court after an earlier court appearance.

Jim Malamas (back) with his lawyer in 2020.

Judge Hanley reminded the court the victim’s family had lost a daughter permanently and

Saleh had at one point blamed the speeding on a mechanical problem.

“The record’s consistent with someone who shouldn’t be driving,’’ he said.

“It used to be called hoons once upon a time.’’

Mr Dalton requested Saleh be given an intensive correction order, which would allow him to serve his sentence in the community.

However, Crown prosecutor Andrew Isaacs said only a full time jail sentence would be appropriate for Saleh, who has been on bail for three years after three days in custody.

“There has been an abandonment of responsibility in respect of this matter,’’ Mr Isaacs said.

The court heard his passenger, who is now 35, suffered fractures and required multiple surgeries.

Mr Isaacs said Saleh did not have “exceptional circumstances’’ and his siblings could support his mother if he was jailed.

In September last year, Saleh pleaded guilty to dangerous driving occasioning death-drive speed dangerous and dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm – drive speed dangerous.

Judge Hanley did accept Saleh was remorseful.

In June, real estate agent Jim Spiros Malamas was convicted and sentenced to an 18-month community correction order after he pleaded guilty to driving recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous.

Agreed facts tendered to the court reveal Saleh had met Malamas at his Greystanes house, where each had a passenger friend with them, and they left shortly before 10.25pm to get food.

Malamas was driving his black Kia Stinger GT with a V6 twin turbo engine, which was registered to his business, Qwest Property Group, down the highway.

He frequently changed lanes and wove across lines behind Saleh’s 800 horsepower car – which did not have a compliance certificate and was not legally allowed to be driven because of its modifications.

Saleh was driving close to 45km/h over the 70km/h speed limit.

Miss Georgey’s car spun into a traffic light pole and knocked it out of the ground.

She died at Westmead Hospital on September 14 after her life support was switched off.

Judge Hanley reserved his judgment for November 29.