Race and blind justice as fasting Muslim driver escapes prison for fatal crash
It is a tragic story. The Sun writes:
A MUSLIM postie who “dozed off” behind the wheel and killed a dad-of-eight while fasting for Ramadan has been spared jail. 36-year-old Sajid Hussain was asleep when his Volkswagen Polo smashed into David Hinton, 47, at 2pm on June 20 last year. Mr Hinton was strapping his baby into his car when he was crushed, a court heard.
The story’s headline and teaser direct readers:
No jail for Muslim postie who killed dad of eight when he fell asleep at the wheel during Ramadan fast. Sajid Hussein fell asleep after fasting for over 10 hours for Muslim festival Ramadan
Would prison have served any purpose? Did Mr Hussain deserve to be removed from society? (And it is Hussain – even if the Sun cannot settle on the spelling.)
Hussain was handed an eight-month suspended jail sentence after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. The judge ruled that the Dudley postman, who bowed his head and wept throughout the hearing, had showed “genuine remorse”.
Comments below the Sun’s story claims Mr Hussain did not go to prison because he is Muslim. Some say his religion saved him:
Over in the Daily Star, more comments in the same vein:
They’re wrong. In 2012, The Scotsman reported on another terrible event:
A DRIVER who claimed a low-calorie diet had caused her to lose consciousness behind the wheel and led to an accident in which a learner driver died has avoided jail. Patricia Aitken admitted careless driving and causing the death of 22-year-old Suzanne Harkness and was sentenced to 240 hours community service and banned for five years
And in 2010:
The driver who killed Solihull CC member Catherine Ward, 52, at Alcester on August 4 has been given a 12-month community order with 200 hours of unpaid work. He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay £110 costs.
Arron Bjorn Cook, 27, of Stratford-upon-Avon, admitted causing death by careless and inconsiderate driving, when his Audi A4 estate car hit Ward who was taking part in the Beacon Road CC’s 10-mile time trial on the A46 Oversley By-pass at Alcester. Ward died at the scene.
And this in the Mail from 2008:
Stuart Robbins, 39, walked free from court yesterday despite being convicted of driving while two-and-a-half times the legal alcohol limit on June 23 last year. A district judge in Wirral heard that Robbins, of Birkenhead, had been in a pub that afternoon before going to a casino and another pub. Helen Chambers, prosecuting, said he was driving his blue Vauxhall Astra when he hit Danielle as she rode her bike. He drove away leaving the child lying with a serious head injury and a broken leg.
Aitken, Cook are Robbins do not appear to be Muslims.
Posted: 14th, March 2016 | In: Reviews, Tabloids Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
