Driver sped away after hitting men
A DRUNK club-goer who refused a lift home drove off after hitting two pedestrians who were crossing the road.
Abdullah Rasul squeezed five passengers into the Ford Ka he was driving and did not stop to de-mist the windscreen before speeding through a town centre.
Sentencing him at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Neil Bidder QC described his behaviour as “reckless”.
The court heard the incident happened in the early hours of November 26 in Derwen Road, Bridgend.
Owen Williams, prosecuting, said Rasul went to The Roof nightclub with his friends and girlfriend. He said the door staff thought he was drunk and warned him several times not to drive as well as offering him a lift home when the club closed at 4am.
He was caught on CCTV doing a U-turn in Derwen Road before driving off “too fast”. One of his passengers said he could not see out of the windscreen because it was completely steamed up.
Rasul hit Andrew Hopkin and Huw Davies as they crossed the road and then sped away from the scene.
Mr Williams said: “He left them both lying on the floor.”
The court heard he let himself into Eden Bar, which was owned by his family, and called his parents. He called out to the judge from the dock: “It was a panic attack.”
Judge Bidder said: “At 20 years old you know you have got to do something to help people you have left on the road. Panic just does not cut it as an excuse for leaving two people and doing nothing. I regard that as just callous.”
A test revealed he had 65mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – nearly twice the legal limit. He was taken to the police station where he refused to give a saliva sample.
Mr Hopkin suffered a broken ankle and bruising to his shoulder. He had to have an operation on his ankle.
Mr Davies suffered broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder and a wound to his head.
In April Rasul was given a year-long community order, requiring him to complete 80 hours of unpaid work, after he admitted fraud and participating in the supply of a dangerous car.
The defendant, from Beverley Street in Port Talbot, admitted drink-driving and causing serious injury by driving dangerously. He also pleaded guilty to driving without insurance, failing to stop after an incident and failing to provide a saliva specimen for analysis.
Francis Jones, defending, said his client’s car was being repaired and his parents thought he could drive their car and be covered by third-party insurance.
The court heard he was studying business at college and had organised charity fundraising events.
Rasul was sent to a young offender institution for two years and eight months and disqualified from driving for two years from the time of his release.