Taxi Driver Online

Taxi driver cleared over killing sleeping student he mistook for a binbag

A taxi driver who mistook a student lying in the road for a ‘bin bag’ has been found not guilty of death by careless driving. Frank Norman, 71, said he didn’t see Robert Stephenson asleep in the middle of the road after the third year student had embarked on a night of heavy drinking.

A jury at York Crown Court were told Mr Norman thought the 21-year-old Newcastle University agriculture undergrad was a black bin liner filled with paper or cardboard.

It took 105 minutes for a jury to unanimously acquit Mr Norman after he was charged with death by careless driving after he struck the student on March 26, 2016. The court had previously heard during the trial if Mr Norman knew it was a body – he would have swerved around it.

Relatives of Mr Stephenson sat in the public gallery when the jury returned their verdict, as they were throughout the four-day trial. Mr Norman, of York, showed no reaction when the verdict was announced.

Judge Paul Batty, QC, then said: ‘The court would wish to pay tribute to the quiet dignity of Robert’s family during the currency of these proceedings and the court acknowledges their obvious grief and abiding loss of one so loved.’ A trust fund set up in Mr Stephenson’s memory has raised more than £100,000 to help young people participate in sport.

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IDFIMH

It used to be innocent until proven guilty, now it's guilty until proven innocent! especially if your a professional driver.

I must be reading a different article mind you adjusting for journalistic twisting of the facts which they all do

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Right decision IMO. I remember one of Grandads drivers going through the same thing, but the person lived to tell the tale and make a few quid.

I agree.

Similar thing happened to a driver down here, thankfully the police didn't charge him.

But it still has an effect on him 20 years on.

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IDFIMH