Taxi Driver Online

Mum died after fall from taxi
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/ne ... ticle.html

YOUNG mother Katie Bennett died after falling from a moving taxi following an argument with the driver over the fare, a court heard.

The 21-year-old, below, sustained serious head injuries and died in hospital two days later.

Hackney carriage driver Mohammed Qaddier stopped to drop off Katie and her friends.

But it is alleged he drove away with the cab's sliding door wide open, while Katie was still on board, causing her to fall out.

Qaddier, aged 34, of Macclesfield Street, Burslem, far right, denies causing Katie's death by dangerous driving. He went on trial yesterday at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.

The jury heard Katie, who had a two-year-old daughter, had been on a night out in Hanley when she and five others got into Qaddier's cab at about around 1.30am on May 24 last year.

One was dropped off in Tunstall and the five remaining friends were taken to Newchapel, where Katie lived in Meadow Close.

Robert Price, prosecuting, said: "At the start of the journey the fare was discussed and agreed with Mr Qaddier.

"The defendant entered High Street in Newchapel and pulled over. A discussion took place about the fare and money was handed over.

"As far as the group was concerned that was the agreed sum, but Mr Qaddier wanted more. He locked the sliding doors of the taxi, which prevented anybody from getting out."

An argument took place and one of the group eventually handed Qaddier the extra £5 he had demanded. He then unlocked the doors and four of the group got out.

Mr Price said: "Katie Bennett was the last one to leave, but she never did, because the defendant didn't wait for her to get out.

"He decided to drive off at speed when the sliding doors were open.

"After the taxi had travelled 30 metres or so Katie fell out of it."

Qaddier drove away and did not report the incident. He says he did not know Katie had fallen out of his cab.

The jury was told he went to Hanley police station on the evening of May 24 to report a dispute over a fare with a group who had damaged his cab.

But he was not linked to the Newchapel incident until May 26, after Katie's death, when he admitted his involvement to police questioning taxi drivers.

The trial continues.

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

How in hells name would you not know the door was open..the Wind...the screams...the Thump....

It had to be Deliberate.

That guys spouting a load of Crap to save his own pathetic Skin...

No CRB test can ever show up a nutters mindset..

There's a few things that dont add up.

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Taxi death trial delayed


THE trial of a taxi driver accused of causing death by dangerous driving may be abandoned until next year.

Mohammed Qaddier, aged 34, of Macclesfield Street, Burslem, is in the dock at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, where he denies causing the death of 21-year-old Katie Bennett from Newchapel in May last year.

But proceedings had to be adjourned yesterday after it emerged a key witness had been admitted to hospital.

It will be decided today whether the trial can continue this week, or will have to be called off. The next available date would be in January.

It is alleged Qaddier drove away with Katie inside while the sliding door of his taxi was still open. She fell to her death. She had been out in Hanley with a group of friends.

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Death-charge taxi driver starts defence

A TAXI driver accused of causing the death of one of his passengers is due to begin his defence today.

Mohammed Qaddier, pictured, is on trial at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, where he denies causing the death of 21-year-old Katie Bennett by dangerous driving in Newchapel last May.

Qaddier dropped Miss Bennett and four of her friends off in the early hours of May 24, and it is alleged he drove off while Katie was still on board, causing her to fall through the cab's open door.

The mother-of-one, who lived in Meadow Close, Newchapel, sustained serious head injuries and died in hospital two days later.

Qaddier, aged 34, of Macclesfield Street, Burslem, claims the group would not pay and were aggressive.

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

It is not always the case. I have known situations whereby the red warning light did not come on, and as you are partitioned and possibly with your drivers window down then with the rush of air/wind you would not necessarily be aware.

What always pees me off is.........why was her seat belt not on? and why fall out after 30 metres? I would have thought that if anyone was going to fall out then it would be as you pull off!

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if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

"He decided to drive off at speed when the sliding doors were open.

Guilty I would say, because of the interior light would be still be on

She was trying to get out of the cab at the time. A bit difficult with your belt on. She was probably holding on to stop herself falling out but couldn't.

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Grandad,

Frightened cabbie feared for his life

FATHER-OF-TWO Mohammed Qaddier has told a jury he was terrified when passengers in his taxi abused him and damaged his vehicle.

The 31-year-old, below, who has no previous convictions, is on trial at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court charged with causing the death of mother Katie Bennett, aged 21, by dangerous driving on May 24 last year.

Miss Bennett died on May 26 after suffering serious head injuries, after allegedly falling from Qaddier's Peugeot taxi.

Qaddier denies the charge and gave evidence yesterday. He said he did not know if she was still in the back of his people carrier when he drove off.

Qaddier, of Macclesfield Street, Burslem, said he picked up a group of six people from Stafford Street, Hanley, at about 1.30am, and agreed an £18 fare.

He said all six were in the back of the vehicle as he would not let anyone sit in the front at night due to safety concerns.

Qaddier said problems began after he dropped off one woman in Spitfire Way, Tunstall.

"She said she would pay her fare to her colleague. I did not see her give him the money. I went a bit further down and I stopped. I asked for the fare to be paid to me. They all went quiet and said they would pay me at the end."

Asked why he requested the fare, Qaddier said: "I had a feeling they were not going to pay me." He did not say anything when one of the group said they would pay him later, as he felt there would be trouble. He continued to Newchapel High Street.

He said: "In the second half of the journey they started swearing and stamping their shoes on the taxi floor. One of the passengers said 'Do you know I am from the Bentilee gang?'

"They were very abusive to me. They were swearing and said 'Do you want the fare?'

"They were switching the intercom button, turning it on and off, and one of the men pointed at the middle of the screen a couple of times.

"At that point I was very frightened. It came to my mind that taxi drivers have been previously attacked around that spot; one had been killed and another had a knife to his throat."

Qaddier said when he stopped in Newchapel High Street, he asked for his fare, but did not receive any money.

He said: "I said to them, 'You all go, just leave me'. Some got out the taxi on my side, some from the other side. Someone suddenly kicked the taxi and someone started punching the rear window. I heard two punches to the side of my window.

"At that point I turned the ignition on. At that point I was very frightened. I thought if they drag me out the taxi I will not be alive. As soon as I knew no-one was in front of the taxi I drove away from there. As I drove off they started kicking and punching the taxi again."

Qaddier said he drove off with the sliding doors open. He said: "I looked back and could see no-one in the back of the taxi. I did not see anyone fall out the taxi."

He reported damage to his taxi to police later that day. The next night police were in Stafford Street giving taxi drivers a questionnaire, and Qaddier said he had taken the group to Newchapel.

The jury was retiring today.

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Reading this story and it seems very plausible, as I am sure most of us have been in that similar type of situation.

_________________
if you cannot be yourself, then who can you be.

Indeed.

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IDFIMH

Seems like negligence to me.

CC

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Breaking News: Taxi driver convicted of death by dangerous driving
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/ne ... ticle.html

A TAXI driver has today been convicted of causing death by dangerous driving.

Mohammed Qaddier, aged 34, of Macclesfield Street, Burslem, dropped 21-year-old Katie Bennett off and four of her friends in the early hours of May 24 after a night out.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard he drove off while Katie, from Newchapel, was still on board, causing her to fall through the cab's open door.

The mother-of-one, sustained serious head injuries and died in hospital two days later.

Mr Quaddier has been remanded in custody for three weeks for sentencing.

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Some remarkable comments attached on the newspaper website

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

What a bunch of Nutters.....is that the norm for that area??