Wolverhampton cab driver avoids jail time despite being found guilty of causing death by careless dr

A Wolverhampton cab driver who was found guilty of causing death by careless driving has been given a suspended jail sentence. Moqadas Hafeez, 39, knocked down 91-year-old Ukrainian born Mychajilo Dudok as he crossed a street within the inner Stourbridge ring road at around lunchtime of September 22 2017. Hafeez, who was driving his VW Passat, didn’t see Mr Dudok until it was too late, but made the claim that the victim had fallen back off the pavement into the path of his vehicle. Hafeez’s claims were challenged at the initial court hearing, by Mr Paul Spratt, prosecuting, who accused him of lying in a bid to avoid responsibility for the death.
Senior forensic expert in the Police Collision Investigation Unit, Sgt Adam Green, said: “if the pedestrian had fallen, or even stumbled, I would expect a different pattern of damage on the Taxi because he would not have been moving in the same way as when walking. “The collision occurred as a result of the driver failing to react as the pedestrian crossed the carriageway. There was sufficient time for the driver to bring his vehicle to a halt.” The cab was travelling at an estimated speed of 28mph in a 30mph zone according to experts. At the point of seeing Mr Dudok, Hafeez braked to 18mph, which was the speed of contact. Dudok was taken to hospital but died from multiple injuries.
As reported by the Birmingham Live, Moqadas Hafeez, has been sentenced to 10 months imprisonment suspended for two years at Wolverhampton Crown Court after a jury found him guilty of causing death by careless driving.