Taxi Driver Online

Birmingham Evening Mail

August 9, 2006, Wednesday

THE memory of an Albion fanatic killed in a hit-and-run is to live on with a pounds 500,000 centre in his name. Arthur Poll vowed today that the Scott Poll Community, Youth and Children's Centre would be up and running before June 19 next year - which would have been his son's 19th birthday.

Scott, aged 17, of Lincoln Road, Wednesbury, was killed on February 26 when he was struck by a taxi in Hollyhedge Road, Stone Cross, West Bromwich, as he walked home with friends. Taxi driver Ghulam Hussain, 44, of Grange Road, West Bromwich, has denied murdering Scott and another charge of causing the death of the teenager by dangerous driving.

His trial, expected to last a week, begins at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday.
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Opening day of the Trial Friday August 12.
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Birmingham Post

August 12, 2006, Saturday

HEADLINE: Taxi driver dragged teen a mile under cab

A taxi driver killed a teenager when he dragged his body for over a mile underneath his cab, a court heard yesterday.

Scott Poll was with two friends as they tried to hail a cab after a night out, Wolver-hampton Crown Court was told. But the 17-year-old, who worked in a sandwich bar, was run over by the cab and he became wedged under the vehicle.

Melbourne Inman QC, prosecuting, alleged that driver Ghulam Hussain then drove off at speed. "By continuing to deliberately drive it was an absolute certainty that Scott Poll would be killed," he told the court. He said no one could possible survive being dragged for a long distance and the teenager died from horrific injuries.

"Hussain killed him by dragging him a very long distance under his vehicle and he knew he was there," said Mr Inman. The prosecution, he went on, did not say he deliberately drove at the teenager to cause death or serious injury. But there came a point when Scott Poll was underneath the cab, Hussain knew, but for whatever reason he drove off at speed.

Hussain, of Grange Road, West Bromwich, has pleaded not guilty to murdering the teenager. The 44-year-old has also denied an alternative charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

The trial continues.
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Furthermore........

Mr Inman said that the teenager had stood in the road to make sure the taxi stopped and Hussain obviously thought he would get out of the way.

The taxi did not stop and drove away from Holly-hedge Road in West Bromwich with the teenager trapped underneath the vehicle.

The teenager's body was finally ejected by the cab in Hall Green Road, which was just over a mile away and it was some days later that Hussain went to police and told them: "I have seen the news and I think I was the driver. I didn't know I had hit him." That was the first of a string of lies he told to police, added Mr Inman.

He said there had been no damage to the taxi and he had not cleaned the vehicle, but it was clear he had the cab comprehensively cleaned to get rid of the evidence.
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It would appear the reduced charge of manslaughter and a plea of guilty has brought about a swift conclusion to this case.
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Birmingham Post

August 15, 2006, Tuesday

HEADLINE: I killed teen, admits taxi driver

A taxi driver yesterday admitted killing a teenager by mowing him down and dragging him along the road for more than a mile.

Ghulam Hussain (44) ran over Scott Poll in West Bromwich, in the West Midlands, as the 17-year-old tried to hail his black cab.

He sped off and Scott, of Wednesbury, West Midlands, became wedged under the vehicle.

Hussain was on trial for murder but yesterday pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Prosecutor Melbourne Inman QC told Wolverhampton Crown Court: "By continuing to deliberately drive it was an absolute certainty that Scott would be killed."

The court had previously heard Scott, a sandwich bar worker, had been out to the pub with two friends.

They watched in horror as their night out on February 26 turned to tragedy.

Father-of-six Hussain, of West Bromwich, who had denied murder, was given conditional bail.

But he was warned by Judge Frank Chapman he would probably face prison when he returned for sentence.
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The outcome of this trial is nearing its conclusion but the latest information from the trial Judge is that the accused can expect a custodial sentence.
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Birmingham Evening Mail

August 24, 2006, Thursday

HEADLINE: Taxi man faces jail for death;

COURT: Date set for Scott sentencing

BYLINE: Steve Johnson

A TAXI driver who admitted dragging a teenager to his death under the wheels of his car will learn his fate next month - and has been told to expect a jail sentence.

Ghulam Hussain, 44, pleaded guilty to manslaughter after initially going on trial for the murder of 17-year-old Scott Poll, of Lincoln Road, Wednesbury.

Sentencing was adjourned on August 14 after Hussain entered his plea, which was accepted by the prosecution. Hussain, of Grange Road, West Bromwich, will be sentenced on September 18 at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

Scott was an avid West Bromwich Albion fan who worked in Bomber's Bar at The Hawthorns on match days. He was walking home with pals after a night out when he was hit by Hussain's taxi in Holly-hedge Road, Stone Cross, West Bromwich.

Judge Frank Chapman, who remanded Hussain on bail for a pre-sentence report, said it was a "very sad case" and warned him a custodial sentence was virtually certain.

The court was told at Hussain's murder trial that Scott had been out drinking with friends and was "acting yobbishly" as he tried to hail a taxi in the early hours. He stood in front of the car being driven by Hussain but Hussain did not stop, trapping him underneath.

Hussain drove for over a mile along six streets before Scott's body was thrown clear in Hall Green Road. He died from horrific injuries, the court heard.

Melbourne Inman QC, prosecuting, told the court that Hussain - who only gave himself up to police three days after the tragedy - must have known someone was trapped beneath the cab. Hussain was put on a curfew and ordered to surrender his passport after being bailed with a pounds 10,000 surety.
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You remember this chap? Well the court of appeal has just increased his sentence by two years.
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December 6, 2006, Wednesday

Birmingham Post

HEADLINE: 'Lenient' sentence on taxi death driver increased

A taxi driver who drove for a mile with a teenager trapped under his cab had his sentence increased from three to five years by the Court of Appeal yesterday.

Three judges in London ruled the original sentence on Ghulam Hussain, aged 44, of West Bromwich, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter, was "unduly lenient".

Lord Justice Keene said Hussain, a married man of previous good character, had shown "a wanton disregard" for the life of 17-year-old Scott Poll after the teenager fell under the front of his vehicle.

Mr Poll, of Wednesbury, had stepped in front of the slow-moving taxi to try to stop it as he walked home with two companions in the early hours of February 26.

His mutilated body was found after it had been dragged along roads which included a number of speed humps.

Mr Poll had been drinking and had shouted racist abuse at the father of six as he tried to hail his cab.

The driver tried to avoid Mr Poll, but the youth stepped sideways to stay in front of the cab with his hands on the bonnet. When he lost his footing and fell under the vehicle, the driver accelerated away in fear and panic.

The next day, Hussain had the underside of his car steam-cleaned.

He was sentenced at Wolverhamp-ton Crown Court on September 18 and was also disqualified from driving for five years.

Yesterday, Lord justice Keene, sitting with Mr Justice Bean and Sir Richard Curtis, said the consequences of Hussain's actions had been "devastating" for the victim, whose young life had been cut short, and his family.

Hussain had put his own fear before the life of another person. His behaviour was "utterly reckless".

What weighed particularly heavily against him was that he continued driving when he was well away from the other two youths and did not even stop when the body fell from under his cab.

The judges allowed an application for an increase in the jail term.
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