52-year-old Mohammad Farhad aka Mark has been sentenced to atleast one year and six months in jail after he left a 94-year-old woman to die after crashing into her in Crows Nest in Sydney in August 2015.
Sydney’s District Court heard that Farhad’s taxi smashed into Suzzanne King and dragged her 20m while she was under the cab.
Farhad stopped for a few seconds but instead of helping her sped away.
He continued driving and worked for another six hours, took two more customers before he was arrested by Police.
Ms King's family devastated by her death told the court that late Ms King was a "feisty" and "opinionated" aunt cherished by all in the family.
52-year-old Mohammad Farhad aka Mark has been sentenced to atleast one year and six months in jail. Source: 7News
"We all appreciate that accidents happen but for the defendant to have left our aunt dying on the road is beyond comprehension," Ms King's niece said.
"How could another human being do this? He clearly lacked any compassion."
The Judge Andrew Scotting said, "He continued with his shift as if nothing had happened."
Defence lawyer Arjun Chhabra told the court that the accident had also adversely affected Farhad whose marriage, mental health and life had been shattered. Mr. Chhabra told the court that his client had tried to commit suicide twice following the accident.
But he told the court that his client deserved to be jailed.
"The only appropriate sentence is one of imprisonment," he told the court.
Farhad, who was present while being sentenced, sat quietly without reacting when Judge Scotting sentenced him to maximum three years in jail.
The court found Farhad was remorseful and was unlikely to reoffend and ordered that Farhad will first be eligible for release on June 12, 2018.
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