Taxi Driver Online

Minicab driver given 140 hours of unpaid work for causing death of biker Terry Smith in Borehamwood


A minicab driver who caused the death of a motorcyclist - and left three children without a father - when he suddenly pulled across his path has been ordered to carry out 140 hours of unpaid work.

Judge John Plumstead told Habib Sherzai it had been a piece of "absurd driving" when he cut across the path of motorcyclist Terry Smith.

But the judge pointed out that because of the time the defendant had spent in custody on remand and then on a tagged curfew, it meant that any sentence he was given would mean he would be set free in a very short time.

Sherzai, 22, of Athelstone Road, Harrow, who was a self-employed licenced private hire driver, pleaded guilty to a charge of causing death by careless driving on March 20 last year.

Prosecutor Sally Mealing McLeod told the court Sherzai did not have a fare on board as he drove his silver blue VW Passat car along Station Road in Borehamwood at 4.35pm that day.

Coming in the opposite direction was Mr Smith on his black Honda CBR900 motorcycle.

Mr Smith was a mechanic working at Elstree Film Studios and an experienced motorcyclist.

The court was told that as Sherzai reached the right turn into Academy Court, he made a right turn into the path of the oncoming motorcyclist, causing a collision.

Mr Smith, a father of two teenage sons and a four-year-old daughter, sustained multiple injuries and despite being rushed to hospital, died a short time later.

A witness later told police the defendant's car had turned right without signaling.

Miss McLeod said Mr Smith was thrown through the air after his motorbike collided with the passenger door of the car and he landed on his back.

Judge Plumstead said it was an act of carelessness on behalf of Sherzai that had changed the lives of an entire family.

He said Mr Smith had been in the prime of his life and was "a father to be proud of and a highly skilled and decent man".

In addition, Sherzai was disqualified from driving for two years.

The judge pointed out the defendant had not tried to "escape justice" and up until that day had been a law abiding young man.

The judge told him: "This was a piece of absurd driving."

source: http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/10266 ... _of_biker/

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

That is a VERY light sentence considering that the accident caused a death

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

The Judge alluded to the time the defendant spent in custody and on curfew waiting for the sentence.

This will reduce the time he would have spent in custody post sentence.

And up to a few years ago the defendant would have got 6 points and a fine at worst.

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IDFIMH