Taxi Driver Online

Well he's admitted to causing her death, but not clear precisely what he did wrong, and the headline kind of suggests he did it deliberately.

The photo caption on the website reads:

"Astrid Yeates was tragically killed by Steven Cohen when he ran her down."


Renfrewshire taxi driver admits killing young woman when he ran her over

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/in-your-a ... g-25591713

Steven Cohen caused the tragic death of Astrid Yeates when he hit her in Ayr Road, Giffnock, in January 2019.


Image: Daily Record/Paisley Daily Express

A taxi driver who knocked down and killed a 21-year-old girl will keep his licence over the festive period.

Steven Clifford Cohen, of Speirs Road in Johnstone, admitted today at Paisley Sheriff Court that he caused the death of Astrid Yeates on January 18, 2019, by running her over in Ayr Road, Giffnock.

Procurator fiscal Harry Finlay told the court that Astrid was making her way to the bus stop to head to Strathclyde University to give a presentation when she was tragically killed by taxi driver Cohen, 58, on the A77.

Mr Finlay explained: “The incident took place near to the junction of Woodvale Avenue and Norwood Drive.

“The deceased was coming from Woodvale Avenue, where she had stayed the night previously with her family.

“On the day of the collision Ms Yeates was due to give a visual presentation on the scholarship programme at Strathclyde University. She was a Masters student at this university.

“She and her mum had intended on travelling together on the number 38 bus in to Glasgow.

“Yeates was organised, she had left out her clothes the night before and her mum made her breakfast that morning before she left for the bus around 7.27am.

“Her mum left the house shortly after.”

Tragically, that was the last time Mrs Yeates made her daughter breakfast because when she made her way across the street to the bus stop Cohen’s silver Skoda Octavia collided with the 21-year-old sending her “upwards and forwards” over the car.


Image: Daily Record

Mr Finlay added: “The accused is unable to say why the collision had occurred and he was not aware of Ms Yates' presence.

“There were shoe scuff marks on the road which identified her body being dragged along the road before it came to a rest.

“There was damage to multiple areas of the car including the windscreen, bumper and headlight and the adjacent windscreen was smashed.

“Ms Yeates sustained a laceration to her thigh and rear skull fractures.

“Yeates suffered indirect and direct brain damage.

“Examinations show that Ms Yeates was only on the road for between 2.22 and 3.14 seconds.

“Had it not been for the collision, Ms Yeates would not have died.”

Members of the public - including two doctors - rushed to help Astrid as she lay unconscious on the road.

Paramedics rushed to the scene and she was taken to Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth Hospital by ambulance where her condition “deteriorated.”

Mr Finlay explained that the post-mortem concluded that she had tragically died as a result of a “head injury caused by a road traffic collision.”

She is survived by her parents, her younger sister and boyfriend.

Defence solicitor Ms Connelly reserved mitigation for the preparation of reports but did tell the court that the council had allowed Cohen to keep his taxi license.

She said: “Council, who grant the license of taxi drivers, had to make a decision on suspending Mr Cohen in light of this incident.

“The council decided against suspending his license at that time.

“This has allowed him to maintain his livelihood.

“He has been a taxi driver for eight years and has held his driving licence since he was 17.

“Mr Cohen has a long, unblemished record of driving.

“This was a tragic incident and Mr Cohen is incredibly remorseful.”

Sheriff Gillian Craig said: “In relation to this offence, I want to consider all options available to me, so I will therefore need to call for a criminal justice social work report and a restriction of liberty order assessment.

“Disqualification for this offence is mandatory but I will not impose a disqualification in the interim period.”

Cohen will return to Paisley Sheriff Court in January to learn his fate.

Renfrewshire Council and East Renfrewshire Council have been approached for comment.

Very strange.

The driver has pleaded guilty to an offence that carries a mandatory ban, but the judge is not applying that mandatory ban over the festive period.

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Taxi driver who killed young student who was "a credit to her family" is banned from the roads for 15 months

A taxi driver who tragically killed a young student has narrowly avoided jail and been told he must now “benefit the community”.

Steven Clifford Cohen, of Speirs Road, Johnstone, admitted that he caused the death of Astrid Yeates by running her over.

Procurator fiscal Harry Finlay previously told the court that Astrid was making her way to a bus stop to head to Strathclyde University when she hit by 58-year-old Cohen’s car on the A77 in Giffnock.

Earlier today in court he was ordered to do 130 hours of unpaid work and was disqualified from driving for 15 months.

His lawyer said: "He can not explain why he did not see Miss Yeates until his car collided with her.

“He accepts failing to see her and that he’s deprived her of her life."

Cohen - who been a taxi driver for eight years and held his driving licence since he was 17 - kept his licence over the festive period.

Mr Finlay explained: “The deceased had stayed the night previously with her family.

“On the day of the collision Ms Yeates was due to give a visual presentation on the scholarship programme at Strathclyde University.

“She was a Masters student at this university.

“She and her mum had intended on travelling together on the number 38 bus in to Glasgow.

“Ms Yeates was organised, she had left out her clothes the night before and her mum made her breakfast that morning before she left for the bus around 7.27am.

“Her mum left the house shortly after.”

Tragically, that was the last time Mrs Yeates made her daughter breakfast because when she made her way across the street to the bus stop Cohen’s silver Skoda Octavia collided with the 21-year-old sending her “upwards and forwards” over the car.

Mr Finlay added: “The accused is unable to say why the collision had occurred and he was not aware of Ms Yeates’ presence.

“There were shoe scuff marks on the road which identified her body being dragged along the road before it came to a rest.

“There was damage to multiple areas of the car including the windscreen, bumper and headlight and the adjacent windscreen was smashed.

“Ms Yeates sustained a laceration to her thigh and rear skull fractures.

“She suffered indirect and direct brain damage.

“Examinations show that Ms Yeates was only on the road for between 2.22 and 3.14 seconds.

“Had it not been for the collision, Ms Yeates would not have died.”

Members of the public - including two doctors - rushed to help Astrid as she lay unconscious on the road, on January 18, 2019,

Paramedics rushed to the scene and she was taken to Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital by ambulance where her condition “deteriorated.”

Mr Finlay explained that the post-mortem concluded that she had died as a result of a “head injury caused by a road traffic collision.”

She is survived by her parents, her younger sister and boyfriend.

Defence solicitor Ms Connelly offered “sincere condolences” to the Yeates family on behalf of Cohen for the loss of their daughter and sister.

Ms Connelly told the court: “Mr Cohen is overwhelmed by remorse of his actions on that day and lives daily with the responsibility his actions took a young woman’s life.

“He can not explain why he did not see Miss Yeates until his car collided with her.

“He accepts failing to see her and that he’s deprived her of her life.

“He voluntarily gave up his employment as a taxi driver and is willing to do whatever the court requires of him.”

On sentencing, Sheriff Gillian Craig said: “To say what happened was a great tragedy doesn’t go far enough.

“It was a morning that started normally for Astrid Yeates who was going to university.

“She was a credit to her family and I can’t imagine the heartache.

“Nothing I can do or say today will alleviate that heartache, and nor shall I attempt to.

“This is not dangerous driving, it’s careless driving and the culpability is even more difficult to assess.

“This is a case of a momentary lapse of attention.

“Given the circumstances I do not feel a custodial sentence is appropriate and instead I will impose a disposal where you will benefit the community.”

Sheriff Craig ordered Cohen to carry out 130 hours of unpaid work within 12 months and disqualified him from driving for 15 months.

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