The shame of the headless body
29th March 2012: a year ago today. A client, who lives near us, came to my house for a breakfast time meeting. Afterwards, I drove into the office as normal, missing the rush hour traffic. Kingsway was clear, as was Upper Brook Street. It was just before 10am.
As I got near the crossing with Hathersage road, traffic lights on green, I had to pull out a bit because workmen had cordoned off a pot hole. In making this manoeuvre I noticed that I drove over two black things, a yard or so apart: 'litter', I thought. Fifty or so metres further ahead, I had to swerve again, pulling out quite a bit, thankfully there was no oncoming traffic…my first glance was that it looked like a human body, but on second glance it couldn't have been, since there was no head; to my shame, I decided that it was a cow's carcass, for that was what it looked like, and I then put two and two together, and assumed a refuse lorry or other vehicle had tipped some of its cargo, tutted, and drove on.
A hundred or so yards further on, I thought 'no, must ring the police, others may not be able to swere easily, it is dangerous' and so rang the police: on their non emergency number, which I have stored in my car phone [note for readers in 2023: I have more than one phone number, in fact several- car, mobile, home, office]. I got through, gave me location, and said that I has seen some rubbish in the road, which looked like a cow's carcass. The telephonist checked what I said, said thank you, and then I continued on my way to work, satisfied that I had done my job.
Early evening: left the office, driving on Upper Brook Street, and I can see ahead that the road is closed, cordoned off. Could it be what I saw in the morning? No, but called Jane, she checked the Internet, and…woman's body found on Upper Brook Street. Checked my car voicemail, and the police had been trying to call me; so rang them back, reported what I saw, and wrote a witness statement.
The above was the end of Sarwari Ashraf's life, but not the end of this story.
Firstly, the police told me that I was the only person who rang in to report the incident.
Secondly, two workman who were nearby took photos of the body and posted them on Twitter.
Finally, another person, Marc Kirvin, since arrested, was crossing the road, saw that one of the black objects was her handbag, stole it. Altrincham man charged with theft of Upper Brook Street hit and run victim's missing shoes and handbag | Mancunian Matters
RIP, Sarwari. I shall always remember you.
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