Minicab driver admits causing death of passenger A private hire driver has been warned he faces jail after admitting causing the death of one of his passengers through dangerous driving.
Shehzad Akbar, from East Reading, had been working for 14 hours when he fell asleep at the wheel of his red Honda Accord on a Sunday morning.
The 33-year-old postgraduate student’s T-reg car was the only vehicle involved in the crash which left his fare Kenneth Riddett, 44, from Southcote, dead.
First Great Western worker Mr Riddett was travelling from his home in Shepley Drive, to Milford House in Swindon town centre, where he was working as a train controller.
But the private hire taxi, from 5 Star Cars in Cow Lane, West Reading, was involved in a single vehicle accident at the junction of Queens Drive and Whitbourne Avenue shortly before 7am on Sunday, October 19, last year.
Mr Riddett was initially thought to be not seriously injured but was found to have suffered massive internal injuries and died four days later at the Great Western Hospital, Swindon.
His widow Jadwiga previously told the then-Reading Evening Post how devastated she was at the loss of her soulmate – but also expressed anger the taxi firm did not contact her to apologise following the tragedy.
Widow’s anger at death of husband The owner of 5 Star Cars, Mohammed Amjit, gave his condolences to Mrs Riddett after the paper contacted him at the time. He said the driver in question – at that time no-one had been charged – had been on duty for six hours before the crash.
Akbar, of Granby Gardens, had initially denied a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.
But before a jury could be sworn in on the first morning of his trial at Swindon Crown Court on Monday, he changed his plea to guilty.
Rosie Collins, prosecuting, said he admitted the offence on a basis which generally reflected the crown’s case.
“He was a taxi driver. He had been working for a 14-hour shift before picking up Mr Riddett,” she said.
“He didn’t work continuously; there were a number of callouts in that time with gaps between. Effectively he was tired; he fell asleep at the wheel.
“He is 33 years old, married with one child. He is in this country on a student visa and working part-time as a taxi driver.”
Judge Douglas Field adjourned the case until Monday, December 21, to allow the probation service time to compile a pre-sentence report.
He said: “It is a serious matter. Custody is inevitable. In these matters a pre-sentence report I think is necessary for the judge.”
As the offence carries a mandatory ban he imposed an interim driving disqualification and the ultimate length of it will be decided when he is sentenced.
source:
http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local- ... th-4233055
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