Banned driver jailed for life for mowing down men outside pub

  • Published
Related Topics
Custody image of Choudry Razaq.Image source, Metropolitan Police
Image caption,

Choudry Razaq was jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years

A banned driver who crashed into four people with his car after a fight outside a pub has been jailed for life.

Choudry Razaq, 26, left his victims "for dead" in Kingsley Road, Hounslow, west London, on 25 September last year, the Old Bailey heard.

Razaq was cleared of attempted murder but found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

He was sentenced to a minimum term of 20 years and given an extended driving disqualification of 21 years.

During the trial prosecutor Rekha Kodikara said Razaq, from Feltham in west London, got behind the wheel in a "rage" after being hit on the head with a bottle outside the White Bear pub earlier that night.

The jury heard Gabriel Sjnevicius, Hanad Duhaut, Harris Koneswaran and Abdi Moallim "stumbled across" the altercation in Kingsley Road, but had not been involved.

The friends were walking past the pub on their way to watch a boxing match on television, unaware that their lives were "about to change dramatically", the court was told.

Image source, Google
Image caption,

Razaq crashed into the men outside the White Bear pub

Razaq, who had suffered a head injury in the fight and was already disqualified from driving, hit the victims with the Chevrolet at about 02:40 BST and left bodies "scattered across two driveways", jurors heard.

The court was also shown police body-worn camera footage of the four men lying among the debris of a collapsed wall while officers rushed to their aid.

One had suffered multiple skull fractures and another had a significant head injury.

'Merciless and unprovoked'

The court heard after the crash Razaq was treated in hospital, put his clothes in the wash and booked a flight to Pakistan.

He was arrested at Heathrow Airport as he attempted to flee the country and declined to answer questions in a police interview.

Det Con Hollie Collins, from Scotland Yard, said: "This is a tragic case where one man's intentional, merciless and unprovoked attack will affect the four victims and their families for the rest of their lives.

"I'd like to thank the victims and their families for their unwavering courage, resilience and patience throughout this investigation."

In an earlier hearing the defendant had admitted dangerous driving and driving while disqualified, as well as inflicting grievous bodily harm on three of the men and attempted actual bodily harm to a fourth, but denied intent for the latter offences.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, external, X, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk, external

Related Internet Links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.