Cop gets 18-month jail for killing Punjab-origin shopkeeper in UK
LONDON: A police officer has been sentenced to 18 months in prison by a UK court for causing the death of an Indian-origin shopkeeper when his car crashed into his van.
Balvinder Singh was driving his vehicle in Wolverhampton when he was hit head-on by a car driven by Staffordshire police officer Jason Bannister, who was off-duty at the time. Singh, 59, was rushed to a hospital but died of his injuries in December 2016.
Bannister, who had pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving in a hearing in September, was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment by a Birmingham Crown Court on Friday.
The 45-year-old was himself treated for minor injuries after the collision and following an investigation by West Midlands police, he was charged with causing death by dangerous driving earlier this year, according to local media reports.
Bannister has also been banned from driving for three years and nine months and will be required to complete an extended driving test in order to obtain a licence again.
He remains suspended from his job at Staffordshire Police.
The force said now that the court case has concluded, it would launch misconduct proceedings against Bannister.
Shortly after his death nearly two years ago, Singh’s family said in tribute: “He was the most loyal and hard-working family man, with three children and six grandchildren who were his everything one of which he never got to meet. He was loved throughout the community.”