Thug ‘used car as a weapon’ against woman
VICTIM WAS HANGING FROM WINDOW AS MAN DROVE BACK AND FORTH
A TERRIFIED woman was badly hurt while being flung backwards and forwards as she was trapped halfway through a car window, a court heard.
The victim had been trying to get driver Naresh Khetani’s young son out of the vehicle because she feared the boy’s father had been drinking.
But Khetani “saw that as a challenge” and a judge at Derby Crown Court said he “used the car as a weapon and had no regard for her safety”.
The incident only ended when the car crashed into another vehicle.
A DERBY dad-of-two subjected a woman to a “truly terrifying” assault when he repeatedly drove forwards and backwards as she attempted to remove his son from the car.
Derby Crown Court heard how Naresh Khetani’s victim was seriously concerned the boy’s 31-yearold father had been drinking and would be a danger to himself, his son and other road users.
After telling him he should not drive he replied “can’t I?” and then violently jolted her from side to side as he drove backwards and forwards with her hanging out of vehicle.
She suffered a fractured knee and ruptured ligaments and despite being found guilty at trial for his actions Khetani still showed little remorse for what he had done.
Jailing him for two years and three months, Recorder Charles Falk said: “She told you not to drive because you had been drinking.
“You had a frightened child in the car and she tried to extricate him from the car and you saw that as a challenge.
“She said ‘you can’t drive’ and you replied ‘can’t I?’ and slammed on the accelerator.
“She was half in and half out of the car and was thrown sideways as you drove forwards and reverse, ricocheting her from side to side.
“That must have been a truly terrifying incident for her and the child.
“It ended when you reversed into a parked car but she had to go to hospital where it was discovered she had fractured her kneecap and ruptured ligaments.
“She is a mother and even now, after ongoing treatment, when she carries her children her knee gives way.
“You fought the case at a trial and in your victim impact statement your remorse is still limited. You told the probation officer she (the victim) ought to have let you drive off.
“It was a sustained and repeated assault in my judgement. You used the car as a weapon and you had no regard for her safety.
“It must have been obvious what you were doing would cause injury. “You would have heard her screams as you continued to drive forwards and backwards trying to shake her off.” Lucky Thandi, prosecuting, said the offence took place on June 8, 2019, in Newdigate Street, Derby. She said Khetani, of St Helen’s Street, dropped his son off at the victim’s house and then went to buy beer.
Miss Thandi said after returning to the property and falling asleep on the sofa the defendant was woken when his son and the son of the victim threw a cushion at him and he chased them out of the house
She said: “The victim heard her son crying outside and so she went outside and saw he had reddening to his stomach.
“The defendant said ‘I have not touched him’ and then got into his car with his own son.
“The victim leaned in through the open window and tried to undo the defendant’s son’s seatbelt to get him out saying ‘you can’t drive you’ve been drinking.’
“His response was to say ‘can’t I?’ and then slam his foot on the accelerator.”
Miss Thandi said he then reversed and drove forward a number of times while the victim was half in and half out of the vehicle before crashing into a parked car.
Khetani, who has previous convictions for assault, attempted robbery and attempted burglary, took the case to trail where he was found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Miss Thandi said she could not explain why the Crown Prosecution Service did not charge him with more serious offences.
Priya Patel, mitigating, said her client had defended himself at the trial and that he is a hard-working fatherof-two who would lose his job if he was sent to prison.
As well as the jail term Khetani was handed a 10-year restraining order.
It was a sustained and repeated assault. You used the car as a weapon and had no regard for her safety.
Recorder Charles Falk