Banned from town - but no jail for Halifax cabbie who left Lisa Saville to die in the road

But cabbie Jawaid Iqbal was banned from returning to the town after a judge imposed an exclusion order.

Iqbal, 42, drove off in panic with the rear door open after being punched by a male who had been in his cab.

Lisa Saville suffered fatal injuries when she hit her head on the road during the early hours incident on City Lane, Wheatley, Halifax, in March.

Iqbal admitted causing the teenager’s death by careless or inconsiderate driving.

The incident was sparked when the male passenger, who had been in the taxi with his then girlfriend and Miss Saville, accused Iqbal of “ripping them off” over the taxi fare.

As Iqbal set off down City Lane intending to get assistance the man jumped out of the taxi via its sliding rear door, but when Miss Saville also jumped out of the moving vehicle she fell on her back, striking her head.

She never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead later that morning.

Timothy Capstick, prosecuting, said Iqbal did not stop at the scene and when police later questioned him at a town centre taxi rank he denied being involved.

Iqbal took the vehicle to a car wash, but after contacting a solicitor handed himself in. Iqbal, who comes from Halifax and has a wife and children, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 100 hours unpaid work for the community.

He was also banned from driving for a year and made the subject of an exclusion order which stops him coming back to Halifax for the next two years without the prior approval of his probation officer. Iqbal has been living in Worcester since being granted bail,

Judge Robert Bartfield paid tribute to the dignified behaviour of Miss Saville’s family and friends during the court proceedings.

He said: “Lisa Saville was 19 at the time of her death. She was on the very threshold of her life as a young woman and it is apparent from the statements that I have read that she’d got much to offer.

“For her parents, her young sisters, her friends her loss is as devastating today as it was when she met her untimely death and I am sad to say that the passage of time will not weaken this.

“This defendant has accepted blame for her death and it would be unnatural for her family and friends to think otherwise than that it should be marked by an equally devastating punishment.

“The role of a judge however is not one of retribution. It is a balance on the accepted facts between the terrible outcome and the level of his (the defendant’s) culpability and the appropriate sentence for the offence.”

The judge said the agreed evidence indicated Iqbal feared further attack from the male passenger and decided to drive off.

He said Iqbal drove off knowing the door of his vehicle was open and Miss Saville’s decision to leave the taxi was understandable because she was alone.

Judge Bartfield said it was an unusual, if not unique, case.

The court heard that Iqbal had since been seriously assaulted by people who knew of Miss Saville’s death.

Lisa’s parents Debbie and David Saville said after the case: “We haven’t just lost our beautiful daughter, we have lost our best friend. We did everything together and Lisa was loved by everyone who knew her.

“She was a loving sister and is deeply missed by all her family, friends and boyfriend, Dominic. Lisa was beautiful inside and out. She had an infectious laugh and a smile for everyone.”