Taxi Driver Online

This is all 'victim personal statement' and defence mitigation, as opposed to what happened, precisely, and how precisely the driver was to blame.

Difficult to avoid the seriousness of the impact on the victim, but I often think about this kind of stuff when pedestrians walk around on the road without warning

Headline oddly 'present tense' for something that happened ages ago as well - it's as if it happened yesterday.

And 'ploughs into' sounds a bit overwrought too - a bit like the 'mows down' headlines in similar past cases. The 'then drives over his leg' also adds to the impression that it was all deliberate. And not really sure what the word 'Mercedes' is supposed to add to it all. Maybe trying to portray the driver as some kind of 'jack the lad', or whatever? It's a Vito. In Cardiff. Presumably a WAV HC


Taxi driver in Mercedes ploughs into man then drives over his leg

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wale ... n-33571960

He was making a turn in the road in Cardiff city centre when the crash happened

A taxi driver struck a pedestrian while making a turn in the road and left his victim with a broken leg. The victim underwent surgery to have plates and screws inserted into his leg and feared he would never be able to walk again.

Khalid Gadalseed, 50, was driving a Mercedes Vito taxi in Cardiff city centre on September 27, 2023, with a customer in the vehicle. As he pulled into Greyfriars Road he attempted to make a turn into Greyfriars Place but as he started to make the turn he collided with pedestrian Ioan Williams.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday heard the defendant drove over Mr Williams' leg after the victim was knocked to the floor.

As a result of the collision Mr Williams suffered serious injuries including a broken leg, which required surgery and left him needing a wheelchair.

In a victim personal statement, read to the court by prosecutor Andrew Davies, Mr Williams said: "The impact caused a severe injury to my left leg and significant damage. My leg was run over and I was taken to hospital where I underwent surgery to have metal rods, screws, and plates inserted into my leg. I spent nine days in hospital...

"There was a possibility I might never walk again. Hearing that was extremely distressing.

"After being discharged I was unable to return to my apartment in Cardiff due to stairs. I will never return to live there again. Instead I travelled in a taxi to my mother's home because I was in a wheelchair and did not feel safe on public transport...

"My mother set up a bed on the ground floor as I was unable to go upstairs. I remained there for three months. I had to inject myself with blood-thinning medication and prescribed strong painkillers."

Mr Williams said the injury led to the end of his relationship and added he was unable to work and was left in "constant pain" and "psychologically affected". He added: "I have lost my independence, physical ability and been put under emotional and financial strain. I continue to live with the consequences of this incident every day."

Gadalseed, of Channel View Road, Grangetown, Cardiff, was later convicted of causing serious injury by careless driving. The court heard he has no previous convictions.

In mitigation Matthew Comer said his client was married with two children. He said the defendant was sorry for the collision and was empathetic to the victim's condition.

Mr Comer said his client's wife has "severe mental health problems" which left the defendant as the sole carer for their two children.

The barrister added: "This is really a horrible accident."

Sentencing, Recorder Angharad Price said: "This wasn't an accident. Your lapse of concentration led to serious injuries which have had a profound effect on your victim."

Gadalseed was sentenced to a six-month community order and made subject to a curfew for six months.

The defendant was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.

"This wasn't an accident" makes it sound like it was deliberate. "Lapse in concentration" certainly sounds like an accident to me

Anyway, not clear precisely what the driver did wrong, nor how it could have been avoided. Of course, there may be more to the evidence than outlined above, but if it was that obvious (using a mobile phone, for example), then you'd think it would be stated explicitly.

But, I mean, if I'm driving around St Andrews and a pedestrian steps out and I'm distracted by that and as a consequence hit another pedestrian who steps out without warning, would the collision be due to my lapse in concentration?

As is often the case, cases like this all seem a bit too 'strict liability' for my liking

On the other hand, having been found guilty I suppose his punishment could have been a lot more onerous. Not sure about the point of a curfew in stuff like this, though

Only if you say you weren't looking or you were distracted.

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IDFIMH