Death of mother killed by drunk and speeding motorist 'a huge loss to me, our family and the whole Smethwick community' says heartbroken son
The son of a carer who was hit and killed by a speeding car outside her own home said her death was "a huge loss to me, our family and the whole Smethwick community".
There was a huge outpouring of grief when mother-of-one Baljit Kaur, aged 62, was struck and fatally injured by a Mercedes driven at speeds of up to 88mph by Erjon Aliaj in Thimblemill Road, Thimblemill, in Smethwick, on August 28, 2025.
Hundreds of mourners turned out to pay their respects at her funeral in the aftermath of the tragedy.
Aliaj, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison after admitting causing death by dangerous driving. He was given a 13-year extended road ban and must take an extended test before getting behind the wheel in future. Judge Michael Chambers KC also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of a small quantity of cocaine found on him.
The victim impact statement of Mrs Kaur's son Daninder Singh-Rai was read aloud at the sentencing at Wolverhampton Crown Court today (March 2) by prosecutor Mr Tariq Shakoor.
Mr Singh-Rai stated: "My mother brought me up on her own since I was six years old. She wasn't just my mother: she was my father, my sibling and she was my best friend.
"She worked hard and did different jobs over many years and eventually she moved from a council house into a house that she purchased in 2024.
"Even on the day she was killed, she was coming home from work. For the last 22 years, she worked as a carer – looking after everyone, her clients, her friends and especially me. She was my strength, my rock, my whole world.
“Her death was a huge loss to me, our family and the whole community.”
Aliaj, who moved to the UK from Albania in 2009, was also found to have ingested cocaine and was twice the drink-drive limit. Breath tests found he had 69 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath following the incident. The legal limit is 35mcg per 100ml.
Following the sentencing West Midlands Police Detective Sergeant Julie Lyman, of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “Aliaj was driving dangerously and at speed. He lost control of the vehicle and killed an innocent woman as a result of his reckless actions.”
Aliaj blamed the breakdown of his relationship for his actions.