Victim ‘Lucky To Be Alive’ After Being Run Over Following Taxi Row
20/10/2011
A man from Maltby, South Yorkshire, describes himself as being “lucky to be alive” after he was abandoned unconscious in the middle of the road suffering with a brain injury, a broken ankle and punctured lung, when a taxi driver locked his girlfriend in his cab before running him over.
Publicly elating the couple’s ordeal for the first time, on the day that taxi driver Mohammed Sarfraz was found guilty and jailed for 14 months, 19-year-old Martin Malia describes how he and his girlfriend Kirsty Lockwood, 20, have been physically and emotionally affected by the disturbing incident.
Head injury specialists at law firm Irwin Mitchell are now pursuing ways to secure a care and rehabilitation package to assist the 19-year-old in his long-term recovery from his injuries.
The couple had already paid the agreed fare for the journey from Rotherham town centre to Mr Malia’s home in Maltby, when Sarfraz insisted they pay a further fare on arrival at their destination. He then locked Miss Lockwood in the taxi and began to drive away, turning the vehicle around in the cul-de-sac, which was when Mr Malia was knocked over.
Mr Malia suffered a brain injury, broken ankle, internal injuries, and a punctured lung as a result of being run over on 15 August 2010. He has had punishing medical treatment including surgery to fit plates and pins to his broken ankle and he continues to experience memory problems caused by the brain injury. In addition, there are visible scars from the taxi’s tyre marks on his chest.
He is now being treated with occupational therapy and physiotherapy sessions at the Sheffield Community Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust, as a way to help him to recovery.
Kate Petchey, a solicitor in Irwin Mitchell’s serious injury team, which recently won a national award for rehabilitation, said: “Martin has suffered very serious injuries as a result of this incident and now has a long process of rehabilitation ahead of him.
“These are injuries he suffered through no fault of his own and it is essential that he is able to access the highest level of care and rehabilitation available. Irwin Mitchell is committed to helping Martin to make the best recovery possible and we are working to secure a care and rehabilitation package for him.”
Taxi driver Mohammed Sarfraz was found guilty of dangerous driving, leaving the scene of an accident and failing to report an accident. He was sentenced to 14 months in prison at Sheffield Crown Court (October 19th). Sarfaz was also disqualified from driving for three years and was given the warning that the UK Border Agency has the option to consider deportation due to his prison sentence being greater than 12 months.
As a result of his serious brain injury, Mr Malia is unable to remember the incident.
Miss Lockwood said: “We had taken the taxi home with friends and had just dropped them off, but when we arrived at Martin’s house the driver demanded we pay over the original fare, which we had already paid.
“Having done the journey in a taxi before, I knew how much we should be paying so I asked him to show me the meter, but he just plain refused. As I was arguing with the driver, Martin got out of the car to go into the house. The driver started to get angry, and then locked me in the car and drove off down the road.”
At this point, Mr Malia became aware of what was happening in the cab and approached the vehicle in an attempt to get his girlfriend released. As Mr Malia stood close to the vehicle begging with the driver to let Miss Lockwood out, Sarfraz drive off, knocking Mr Malia to the ground then running him over. Sarfraz took off at great speed, stopping momentarily to release Miss Lockwood.
Miss Lockwood said: “It was absolutely terrifying when the driver locked me in the car. I didn’t know what he was going to do.
“I then had to sit there while he ran Martin down and I could feel the bump as he drove over the top of him. I just remember thinking he’d killed my boyfriend.”
Mr Malia added: “I feel lucky to still be alive after what happened. The whole experience was terrifying and Kirsty and I have both been scarred for life – physically and emotionally.”
Kate Petchey said: “Over the last 12 months we have been approached to act in other cases where clients have been injured after disputes with taxi drivers, and this is extremely concerning.
“I urge everybody to be vigilant, and to look out for any unusual signs. In this case Sarfraz was fully licensed and driving for a reputable company, but incidents like these are more common with unlicensed drivers. This is not to say that taxis are an unsafe method of transport, but I would caution people to ensure they take extra care.”
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