Uber driver jailed after running over passenger

An Uber driver who ran over a passenger after the man vomited in his car has been jailed for five years.

Hayadulla Turkmani, 53, was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving following a trial at Basildon Crown Court.

The jury heard how he picked up plumber Michael Ashton, 28, and his partner following a night out on 26 September last year, before taking them home to Langdon Hills, Essex, where the men argued before Ashton was run over and dragged under the vehicle.

Judge Samantha Cohen told Turkmani, who was cleared of murder and manslaughter, that he "failed to pay adequate regard" to where Ashton was, adding: "You should have seen him, and you should have stopped before you hit him."

"I am sentencing you on the basis that you did not know he was in front of you, as per the jury's verdict," she told him.

"As you drove forward, you knew Michael was still in the close; you had no reason to think he'd returned home," she said, also telling Turkmani he had shown a "complete disregard for the danger you posed".

Turkmani will serve half his sentence in custody, minus the time he has already been on remand, before being released on licence.

He was also banned from driving for seven-and-a-half years.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Ashton's mother, Jayne, spoke of the "unimaginable loss" of her son, adding that his family was "serving a life sentence" because of what happened to him.

His partner, Sophie Carroll, said the trauma of Ashton's death would stay with her forever, adding: "Living with the pain of missing Michael is unbearable".

During the trial, the prosecution alleged Turkmani, of Langdale Gardens in Hornchurch, east London, had accelerated towards the victim at "incredible speed" before dragging him underneath the vehicle.

A neighbour who witnessed the incident in Rosecroft Close told the court how he saw "two individuals shouting at each other" before the driver of the car accelerated towards Ashton, who was standing "four or five metres" from the car.

Speaking in his defence, Turkmani told the jury how he was "panicking and frightened" and mistakenly struck Ashton while trying to "escape" him after a heated exchange.

He had picked up Ashton and Carroll in Hornchurch after the pair had been out for dinner and drinks with Ashton's sister for the evening.

Carroll told the court how she fetched baby wipes after Ashton, who worked as a plumber for the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Council, was sick down himself as they were driven home.

While she was cleaning the car, she described hearing Turkmani and Ashton having an argument and saying "leave it".

Moments later, when the couple were walking towards their home, Ashton turned round, and in CCTV footage played to the jury, he could be heard shouting "whoa, whoa, whoa".

Prosecutor Andrew Jackson KC said the impact of the car snapped Ashton's leg and caused him to suffer a brain injury as his head struck the ground.

He died from his injuries eight days later.

Police said Turkmani had "reacted angrily after Michael became unwell and this escalated into violence", adding that Ashton's relatives were "devastated by the needless loss".

Do you have a story suggestion for Essex? Contact us below.

Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.