A driver who mowed down a mother-of-two on a pedestrian crossing has walked free from court.
Fazil Abdulla, 33, was doing 50mph in a 30 zone when he crashed into 52-year-old Susan Blackburn.
She suffered catastrophic head injuries and died at the scene, on Waterloo Road, Cheetham Hill.
Abdulla, a barber, of Morrowfield Avenue, Cheetham Hill, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving.
His Vauxhall Astra narrowly missed Ms Blackburn’s partner, Stuart Stanley, who watched in horror as she was hit by the bonnet of the car and sent flying down the road.
Ms Blackburn’s family sobbed as Judge Anthony Gee QC gave him a suspended 12-month jail sentence at Manchester Crown Court.
Her daughter, Rachel Blackburn-Stanley, 20, said: “Justice wasn’t done. She was the nicest person you could know. We have lost a life for nothing.”
Irene Stanley, Ms Blackburn’s grandma, said: “He should have gone to prison for what he did. He should have been charged with death by dangerous driving instead of careless driving.
“He said he was remorseful. Of course he was – I would have been if I had killed someone.
“They were holding hands when they were crossing the road. He could have killed both of them.”
The court heard that Abdulla was unfamiliar with the car, which he borrowed from a friend. The couple, who were walking back to their nearby home, on June 24 last year, crossed the road without waiting for the lights to change because they couldn’t see or hear any traffic.
Judge Gee said the speed Abdullah was driving at gave him ‘much less’ chance of avoiding a collision.
Sentencing, he said the death had ‘touched many lives’ and added: “The family will know that there’s no order this court can make that will in any way wind back the clock.”
Abdulla had been ‘of impeccable good character with no previous convictions or cautions and a clean driving record’.
Judge Gee told him: “I accept the remorse you have shown is genuine.
“The relatives may take some comfort perhaps from the fact not only did you remain at the scene unlike some but you have also expressed through your advocate your real and sincere sympathy for the loss of life.”
He acknowledged the ‘pain suffered by the relatives’ but added: “They must understand I have to deal with this case objectively and dispassionately.”
Abdulla was also banned from driving for four years, ordered to carry out 300 hours unpaid work and placed on a 12-month supervision order.
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SCANDALOUS!!!
Yet another example of the two tier justice system and judges frightened to death by Liebors Political Correction machine. It would have been nice to see Cameron tackle the hated social engineering but it seems that he's only interested in his one great love - money.
Unbelievable... If it wasn't Broken Britain...
Deeply sorry for the family involved.
If he was unfamiliar with the car why was he driving at a dangerous speed? A custodial sentence should have been passed in this case.
Another "Death by careless driving". Driving 50mph in a 30mph aproaching a pedestrian crossing is not careless it's downright stupid and dangerous and he should have been charged so.
“The relatives may take some comfort perhaps from the fact not only did you remain at the scene unlike some but you have also expressed through your advocate your real and sincere sympathy for the loss of life.”
That's it, is it? he was good boy who remained at the scene - anybody else would of course have fled immediately; and he's said he's sorry. Whoopsy-do! Why not give him an award for his public-spiritedness?
When are Judges going to start doing their jobs properly?
This judge is wrong on so many counts.
1) the fact not only did you remain at the scene unlike some
This is a legal requirement, it should not get you preferrential treatment. It should NOT reduce the severity of the sentence should it!? On the contrary it should be that those who do NOT stop get harsher sentences.
2)you have also expressed through your advocate your real and sincere sympathy for the loss of life.
which contradicts this statement
'I have to deal with this case objectively and dispassionately'
The article refers to "the couple did not wait for the lights to change because they did not hear or see any vehicles",That implies the couple walked into the road against the red signal and he was driving towards a green signal.
I can understand why the judge made the decision on a custodial sentence being harsh .
The fact that the couple contributed to their own downfall as to have an effect on the sentence otherwise there would be no point in having lights on pedestrian crossings.The lights are there to protect the user from a collision with a vehicle in that the vehicle as to adhere to the signals Para doxicaly if the pedestrian ignores their signals they put the vehicle in jeapordy .The fact that the driver in this case was speeding is a contribution to the accident but not the cause of it.
Ronald Pemberton in Bristol gently pushes a Ka that had blocked his garage out of the way - 12 month ban, £2000 fine, dangerous driving conviction.
Fazil Abdulla drives at 50mph in a 30 zone and doesn't properly look out for pedestrians - apparently it's just careless driving, not dangerous! He "was unfamiliar with the car, which he borrowed from a friend" - even more reason that he should have been driving with extra caution.
So the lad yesterday got 2 1/2 years and this guy goes free for the same offence?
"The court heard that Abdulla was unfamiliar with the car, which he borrowed from a friend."
If he was unfamiliar with the vehicle then he should have been driving with the utmost caution. How is unfamiliarity much of an excuse anyhow - all vehicles have the same basic controls in the same basic layout and the report does not mention automatic or manual gearchange? If the car was borrowed from a friend was he covered by insurance?
"Judge Gee said the speed Abdullah was driving at gave him ‘much less’ chance of avoiding a collision."
Very much so. A hundred feet less chance. (Stopping distance @ 30 is 75 feet, stopping distance @ 50 is 175 feet). The total stopping distance of a vehicle is the sum of the braking distance and the reaction distance. Many drivers do not seem to understand that their braking distance is proportional to the square of the speed - double the speed and you quadruple the braking distance where as the reaction distance, being directly proportional to the speed, merely doubles. Basic physics but that is why the stopping distances quoted in the Highway Code and elsewhere increase immensely with only modest increases of speed.
Any driver knows that driving at 50mph in a 30 Zone is fast - Evenmore so approachinga crossing
I hate this justice system
Oh! Self-exiled! You've not had much experience of the Courts, have you? That argument may stand in the Criminal Court (and of course provides a partial excuse to not send the accused to prison); but it counts for very little when the Civil claim is advanced; the damages computed; and the case heard.
BTW, can you tell me why he didn't see them, and decelerate?
Savage Mandarin
First of all I am not defending the actions of the driver I am putting myself in his position as I am a motorist and would expect justice on a equal scale I assume you are a legal advocate from your statement that I don't have much experience in the crown courts which proports that you do.Why you have expanded this subject to a civil case is beyond me as that is not the issue here.Assuming BTW is short for by the way why you don't write that is testimony to your belief that everyone else thinks like you ,in answer to that question I don't know because it was not part of the report and I do not speculate I only deal with the facts in the report.
Unfair and unjust especially on a day when a copper in Macclesfield gets off by basically saying he was "unfamiliar with what he had drank".
I suppose this case could start a legal problem with anyone who kills somebody whilst driving a hire car at 50mph in a 30mph zone could just say"oops sorry about that,I was unfamiliar with the car"
My sincere condolences to the family who have,as many others,been let down by the legal system.
Abdulla was also banned from driving for four years, ordered to carry out 300 hours unpaid work and placed on a 12-month supervision order.
If you drive like an idiot this is what will happen, should have been band for life as he has no common sense to control himself or a vehicle and will never have.
Death by dangerous driving should be a minimum 10 years prison for taking a persons life. Its the only way to stop these idiots using pubic roads as race tracks with complete disregard for everyone else.
I wonder if he was insured to drive that car?
i am very sorry for the family..yet another outrage of the legal system....
This was a man in his 30s who knew what he was doing but was still stupid enough to break the law and speed at a ridiculous speed, and if anyone followed the case they would know he was doing 50 when he hit the lady no one knows or can prove what speed was he doing before he applied the brakes? The traffic lights in question were put there over 30 years ago after a 3 year old boy crossing the road with his mum was killed at that same spot.
On another note and as a driver I would like to add that pedestrians should not have to look out for idiots speeding. Drivers should be alert and vigilant at all times it is our duty and if a driver breaks the law and kills someone when doing so then they should at least get time for manslaughter. This verdict is a disgrace.
Awful. Just awful....
And we have a special constable doing three years for scraping a drunk, violent mans face on the floor?
Both deserved to go to prison.
Disgusting, it amazes me that if the driver had of been british and white he / she would ahve been senteced - this country is feared of a rasicm backlace. In this case this man should have been sentenced to atleast 6 years without parol
Absolute scandal!
Life if you kill someone with a car is so cheap!
How many more people are going to be killed by a selfish driver before ONE killer/driver actually gets a sentence that reflects the taking of a life?
Not too unfamiliar that he did'nt know where the accelerator was!
Self-exiled...it's late now, but....
...self-righteous beggar, aren't you?