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A taxi driver has avoided an immediate jail sentence after his careless actions left a man paralysed. Khalid Mohammad - formerly Haroon Malik – performed a risky manoeuvre at a busy junction on September 16 last year. The 66-year-old had been driving his Toyota Prius through Burslem in Stoke-on-Trent when he attempted to turn despite the traffic light being on red. READ MORE: Man killed in Wolverhampton car park attack named as murder arrests made Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp , click the link to join This lead to a cyclist hitting his car which left him with severe injuries and sadly, he is now unable to walk. Prosecutor Barry White told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court: “The victim is a 53-year-old man who is now completely paralysed. “He was riding his bike up Wedgwood Street when Mr Mohammad was approaching the junction from Moorland Road in his Toyota Prius. “Mr Mohammad entered the junction and waited for an opportunity to turn. “It was busy, so he didn’t get a chance to turn while the light was green. “But, after the light had been on red for 11 seconds, he made a risky manoeuvre and turned. “The lights had gone green for the cyclist, so he had begun travelling across the junction. “As he passed in front of Mr Mohammad, the defendant turned and hit him. The Crown argues Mr Mohammad should been paying more due care and attention.” One witness said they saw a cyclist cross through the junction before a car pulled out at ‘around 5mph’. They said that the cyclist then hit the side of the car, StokeonTrentLive reports. A victim impact statement written last year by the cyclist was shared with the court. They said: “On that day, my life changed forever. Unlike the driver, who simply had his car repaired and began enjoying meals with his family again in a matter of weeks, I spent weeks suffering delusions while recovering. “After waking, I could only communicate through facial movements or clicks. I only became able to eat after being transferred to Southport Spinal Facility. “While the driver spends every day with his family, I spend my most of my time in hospital alone. “I miss my family. I miss my wife. I miss my son. I’m now missing Christmas , his last year of high school and his prom.” Matthew Ness, mitigating, said that this careless incident was a horrific stain on an otherwise perfect driving record. “This is a genuinely tragic case,” he said. “There is nothing I can say that alters the reality or alleviates the suffering of the cyclist and his family. “Mr Mohammad acknowledges that his lapse of judgement, however momentary, has caused such devastation. He will be filled with guilt for the rest of his life. “He came to the UK in 2000, before getting a driving licence in 2005. He worked as a chef before eventually becoming a taxi driver 12 years ago. “His driving record has been unblemished and he is of previous good character. This was a poorly-executed manoeuvre, spurred by the pressure of a busy junction. “The severest punishment he will ever face is having to live with the guilt of what he has done. “He has lost his employment, and he will not be able to become a taxi driver again, which is the only employment he can find thanks to his health conditions.” Mohammad, of Haliford Avenue, Sneyd Green, admitted to causing serious injury by careless driving. He was handed a 19-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, a 12-month driving ban and he must pay £500 in court costs. Recorder Robert Smith said: “In the police interview, you made immediate admissions and expressed remorse. I accept you are sorry for what you did. You are described as a hard-working family man. “You were setting about your normal work day. You did not intend to cause harm that day. But the consequence of the collision - short of the cyclist dying - couldn’t have been any worse. The impact on his family has been immense and their statements to the court were highly moving. “You are the culprit behind a world of pain. But you didn’t intend to cause this. I accept that prison would also have a negative impact on the care you provide for your disabled son. The truth is, no sentence could alleviate the cyclist's suffering. And sentencing is not about retribution.”
