Imam Faces Jail for Causing Death by Careless Driving
Hit a man who was lying in the middle of the road in Southall
Qari Hazarvi Abassi. Picture: Facebook
January 23, 2024
A 72-year-old Imam from Southall may face imprisonment after being convicted of causing death by dangerous driving.
Qari Hazarvi Abassi was found guilty of killing Harvinder Singh at a trial at the Old Bailey.
He was on his way to early morning prayers on 4 May 2021 when he struck Mr Singh who had been lying in the middle of the road having earlier said he wished to kill himself.
Two passersby had noticed Mr Singh and were attempting to divert traffic around him as they awaited the arrival of an ambulance. Abassi ignored their warnings, forcing them to jump out of the way. A recording of the incident showed that he shouted insults in Urdu at the people who had tried to stop him.
He was driving at 25mph in a 20mph zone at the time of the collision.
When the police came to arrest him, he told them that he had thought that he had run over a bin bag and he thought the men who had tried were drunk or they are trying to get a lift.
He has been granted bail pending the judge receiving a pre-sentence report to determine how prison would affect him given his age
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