Taxi Driver Online :: View topic - Lying Crawley driver escapes jail due to prosecution delay

Taxi Driver Online http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/

Lying Crawley driver escapes jail due to prosecution delay http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=33952	Page 1 of 1

Author:	StuartW [ Thu Feb 14, 2019 8:24 pm ]
Post subject:	Lying Crawley driver escapes jail due to prosecution delay
Banned Crawley taxi driver tried to blame speeding on Chinese takeaway delivery man https://www.crawleyobserver.co.uk/news/ ... -1-8811384 Image: Crawley Observer A Crawley taxi driver caught speeding in the dead of night tried to pin it on a Chinese takeaway driver. Now-banned cabbie Muzammil Zawahir was snapped by speed cameras twice back in 2015, and both times lied about who was driving. But the 35-year-old, of The Birches, walked free from court today because of how long the case had taken to get to trial. He pleaded guilty to a charge of perverting the course of justice and was sentenced at Hove Crown Court this morning. Prosecutor Richard Sedgwick said: “In a nutshell on two occasions Mr Zawahir was speeding while working as a taxi driver and on two occasions he nominated another person to take the points. "He nominated a Mr Iqbal who appears to have been living with him at the time.” Zawahir was working as a taxi driver at both times he was caught speeding. The court heard that Mr Iqbal sometimes used the vehicle to deliver Chinese takeaway food. Zawahir has since had his taxi license revoked. But despite the speeding taking place in 2015 and being quizzed by police in 2017, it was not until January this year that Zawahir’s trial was set to begin. The court heard that two police forces were initially involved in the investigation. He pleaded guilty on the day of trial and the case was listed for sentence today, nearly four years since the actual offences. Told that normally the sentence would have been one of immediate custody, Zawahir’s defence barrister Andrew Turton said: “He’s had that hanging over his head for some time.” He also cited Zawahir’s good character. Sentencing him, Judge Jeremy Gold QC said: “This is a case where because of the quite exceptional delay I can take an exceptional course. “It is perhaps fortunate for you. “If [the case] had come on in a timely fashion I would have had no alternative than to send you immediately to prison for what are serious offences.” Instead Zawahir was given a six-month jail sentence, suspended for two years. He must carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and pay prosecution costs.

Author:	StuartW [ Thu Feb 14, 2019 8:26 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Lying Crawley driver escapes jail due to prosecution del
Quote: Prosecutor Richard Sedgwick said: “In a nutshell on two occasions Mr Zawahir was speeding while working as a taxi driver and on two occasions he nominated another person to take the points. "He nominated a Mr Iqbal who appears to have been living with him at the time.” Zawahir was working as a taxi driver at both times he was caught speeding. The court heard that Mr Iqbal sometimes used the vehicle to deliver Chinese takeaway food. Hope Mr Iqbal had a badge

Author:	Sussex [ Fri Feb 15, 2019 5:55 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Lying Crawley driver escapes jail due to prosecution del
Quote: Hope Mr Iqbal had a badge More likely a Blue Peter one than a taxi/PH one.

Author:	StuartW [ Wed Feb 27, 2019 9:02 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Lying Crawley driver escapes jail due to prosecution del
For what it's worth seems this driver worked in East Grinstead and was licensed by Mid-Sussex DC. There's also mention of a third speeding offence in this piece. Another anomaly is that the article above says that the case was decided at Hove Crown Court, but this piece says it was Lewes. Anyway, wouldn't have bothered with this again, but it's only just appeared online, and I'd more or less pressed the submit button when I realised an earlier article had dealt with the case a couple of weeks ago Taxi driver from Crawley sacked after lying over speeding https://www.crawleynews24.co.uk/taxi-dr ... -speeding/ A taxi driver has been convicted and sacked after lying about a series of speeding offences. A taxi driver has been convicted and sacked after lying about a series of speeding offences. Muzammil Zawahir was captured exceeding the 30mph speed limit in his silver Toyota Avensis on the A22 London Road, East Grinstead, on 19 May 2015 and 11 June 2015. He was sent a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) and on both occasions he nominated his housemate as the driver at the time of the offences. A further offence came to light in Kent, where again he nominated the same person. The 35-year-old was employed by an East Grinstead-based company licensed by Mid Sussex District Council, which carried out the initial investigation. The case was passed to Sussex Police’s Crawley Investigations team, and the nominated driver was found to be false on all three occasions. Zawahir, of The Birches, Crawley, was subsequently charged with perverting the course of justice. He originally denied the offences and the case was listed for trial at Lewes Crown Court in July 2018, however he later changed his plea to guilty. At the same court on Thursday 14 February, he was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment – suspended for 24 months – and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work within 12 months. He was also required to pay £1,200 costs and a £115 victim surcharge. Mid Sussex District Council confirmed Zawahir’s taxi licence was revoked and he was dismissed as a result of this case. Operation Pinocchio was launched by Sussex Police in 2016 with the following aims: • To improve safety on Sussex’s roads by tracing and prosecuting offenders who provide false information in an attempt to avoid prosecution; • And to prevent law-abiding motorists, who have been badly advised, from committing serious criminal offences by attempting to avoid speeding or red light offences. The offence of perverting the course of justice carries a maximum term of life imprisonment.

Author:	Sussex [ Wed Feb 27, 2019 9:14 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Lying Crawley driver escapes jail due to prosecution del
Quote: Another anomaly is that the article above says that the case was decided at Hove Crown Court, but this piece says it was Lewes. Lewes Crown Court is the main/admin court. Hove is an annex.

Author:	Sussex [ Wed Feb 27, 2019 9:19 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Lying Crawley driver escapes jail due to prosecution del
Quote: The case was passed to Sussex Police’s Crawley Investigations team, and the nominated driver was found to be false on all three occasions. On traffic matters Sussex Police are no mugs. Was in a meeting a couple of years ago where Sussex Police advised trade reps to warn trade members that perverting the cause of justice is a very serious matter, and more times than not ends up with a prison sentence. They also reminded the trade that they were well aware of licensing laws, thus anyone nominating a driver of a cab that wasn't licensed was like a red flag to a bull for them.

Page 1 of 1	All times are UTC [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group http://www.phpbb.com/