Minicab driver jailed for 2011 fatal collision in Bloomsbury A mini cab driver who hit and killed a motorcyclist after he drove through a red light in Bloomsbury in 2011 has been jailed.
Mr Muhibur Rahman, aged 51, (DOB 19/09/1959) of Malcolmson House, Aylesford Street, SW1 appeared on bail at Blackfriars Crown Court On Monday 11th March 2013 where he was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment for causing the death of 52-year-old Mr Anthony McKeith by careless driving on 15th July 2011.
Rahman, who had pleaded guilty to the offence at the beginning of a scheduled trial at the court on 15 January, was also disqualified from driving for three years and will also be required to take an extended re-test.
The sentencing follows an investigation by officers from the Metropolitan Police Service's Road Death Investigation Unit (RDIU) for north-west London.
On 15 July 2011 police were called at approx. 21:15hrs to reports of a collision between a Yamaha motorcycle and a Toyota Previa in Tavistock Square, at the junction with Bedford Way WC1.
The motorcyclist - Mr Anthony McKeith, aged 52, of Huddlestone Road, London, E7 - received serious head injuries and was taken to the Royal London Hospital, but died in the early hours of the next day.
A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death was multiple injuries.
Rahman stopped at the scene but was not arrested at that time. After the initial investigation Rahman was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving on 22 September 2011 at Holborn Police Station. After interview Rahman was bailed pending further enquires.
Following over 12 months of investigation officers evidenced that Rahman had contravened a red traffic light at Tavistock Square WC1 causing the collision with Mr McKeith on his motorcycle that lead to his death, and charged him on 23 July 2012 with causing death by dangerous driving. Rahman was bailed to appear at Magistrates' Court the following month, 10 August 2012.
Rahman pleaded not guilty to this offence and a trial was set for 15 July 2013 but at the beginning of the trial he pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and the case was adjourned until 11 March when he was sentenced as above.
Detective Sergeant Chris Osborne, the senior investigation officer from the RDIU said:
"This is a tragic case for all involved. Vehicles jumping red lights have the potential to cause catastrophic collisions with other road users and devastate lives, as has happened to the McKeith family. The length of custodial sentence imposed to Mr Rahman should be a warning to all road users the seriousness and consequences of failing to stop at a red traffic signal."
Mr McKeith's sister Frances and wife Lynda released the following statement:
"Almost all of us who drive in London have benefited from the changes in traffic controls over the recent years, which have allowed traffic to run more smoothly and swiftly through our capital city. We must not forget however that these changes come at a cost, which some of us have had to pay because the changes in controls have not changed the behaviours of the majority of drivers. For us, the family and friends of Anthony (Tony) McKeith, we have paid the ultimate price - the loss of our husband, father, brother and friend. Tony was knocked down by a car which raced the lights and knocked him off his motorbike. He died the next day of his injuries. The driver was not a young man but an experienced road user who failed to take into account the changes in the timing of traffic light signals and it is this which killed Tony. There is now very little in the way of time-lag between the changing of the traffic lights at junctions. More now than ever Amber means stop, not stamp on the accelerator to get through before the lights change. Had the driver of the car in Tony's accident stopped, in recognition of the tiny margin for error now present, instead of trying to beat the lights, Tony would still be with us today. Instead, he is gone, killed needlessly, his wife left devastated and his little girl, just three months old when he died, growing up never knowing the wonderful man who was her father. She was two this weekend - and so like her dad.
"We, Tony's family and friends, want you to read this and remember it. Every time you come up to a set of changing lights, your decision at that point has the ability to take away a life. Do not let anyone else have to suffer what we have gone through. We will never recover from the consequences of that split second decision and it will remain with us throughout our lives. The man who knocked him off his motorbike is now serving a custodial sentence, his life and the life of his family will also never be the same again. Make sure that you never have to deal with any of this. Just stop."
source:
http://content.met.police.uk/News/Mini- ... 7246741786
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