An Uber driver who jumped a red light and knocked over a pedestrian in Newcastle city centre has been given a suspended prison sentence. Shak Rahman, 48, of Derby Court, Newcastle, struck the grandfather on Percy Street, sending him into the air and onto the car's windscreen.
Crash details
The victim had finished work on February 17 this year and was walking along Percy Street to catch the bus home from outside Newcastle University library. He crossed the road at its junction with St Thomas' Street and was more than halfway across when Rahman's car hit him, throwing him up in the air and onto the windscreen before he landed heavily on the road.
Newcastle Crown Court heard that Rahman had gone through a red light. Prosecutors said it was "quite remarkable" that the victim was not more seriously injured. The man remembered crossing the road, and his next recollection was waking up in hospital, where he had been taken by ambulance.
Victim impact
In a victim impact statement, the man said the collision had a "massive impact on me mentally, physically and financially" and left him thinking about what could have happened if his injuries had been more serious. He added that it left his children and grandchildren constantly worrying about him, and he still has pain in his chest and has had to take time off work.
Rahman's actions
Rahman gave his details to the ambulance crew but did not remain at the scene. When police visited his home, they saw his car was damaged from the impact. A tyre was more than 10 years old, his brakes were rusted, and there was a loose cover on the steering wheel, but this did not contribute to the crash.
Rahman, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving. He was sentenced to 10 months suspended for 18 months, with a 12-month driving ban, and must take an extended test to regain his licence.
Sentencing remarks
Recorder Tony Hawks told him: "You took an enormous risk by ignoring a red light and you ran over a pedestrian, who had to go to hospital. Fortunately, he was not seriously injured but he could have been killed or seriously injured, in which case you would undoubtedly go to prison immediately.
"I'm not going to send you to prison immediately because you have been punished significantly as a result of this completely reckless act on your part, namely you have lost your livelihood as a taxi driver and from what I know of the city council you are unlikely to get your licence back with a conviction for dangerous driving."
Spencer Downey, defending, said: "He believes his passenger was going to an appointment at the RVI and they were complaining they were running late, adding to the pressure on him."
