IN THE NEWS
FOUR YEARS’ JAIL FOR IPSWICH THUG WHO VICIOUSLY ATTACKED CABBIE PUTTING HIM IN A COMA
A taxi driver who was beaten and “left for dead” at the side of the road in a violent robbery told a court his children didn’t even recognise him when he returned home from hospital. Gazette News reports that father-of- three Nurul Islam, 40, was left with life-threatening injuries after his cus- tomer, 19-year-old Jack Powell, launched a drink-fuelled attack. Ipswich Crown Court heard at around 3.30am on November 7 last year, a res- ident living in Tower Mill Road, Ipswich, witnessed what he assumed to be a fight taking place inside a parked hackney carriage. He saw a male being dragged from the driver’s side of the taxi and alerted the police. The driver, Mr Islam, was found by offi- cers face down next to his taxi. They could see he had a swollen face and cuts to his lip and brow and called an ambulance. Powell was found nearby and immedi- ately confessed to assaulting and robbing Mr Islam, telling officers he became angry at the price quoted for his journey. He said: “I’m not going to lie, I kicked the taxi driver”. Mr Islam had picked Powell up from Colchester High Street before driving to Ipswich. Officers recovered £200 in cash from Powell, and the court heard he said: “The taxi driver asked for £50, I thought I’d given it to him.” Mr Islam endured a month-long hospi- tal stay, where he was unconscious for a week, as a result of his life-threaten- ing injuries, which included skull and facial bone fractures, as well as trau- matic brain injury. In a victim impact statement, Mr Islam said he had been the victim of a “cruel and heinous crime”. “Every morning I wake up and I still cannot comprehend what happened to me,” he said. I have to remind myself that I’m safe now.”
He said at the time of the assault all he 38
could think about was his wife, his children and the fear of not making it home to them. He said Powell had “brutally attacked him and left him for dead”.
Mr Islam also shed light on the devastating “emotional and financial burden” suffered by his family. “When I returned home my eldest daughter and son did not even recog- nise me due to the serious injuries and surgeries,” he said. “I will never be able to go back into my occupation, which is something I gen- uinely enjoyed before I was assaulted. My attacker has taken this away from me. That night will always be my biggest regret. As a taxi driver I don’t like to travel out of town late at night. My intention was this would be my last job before I went home.” Powell, from Ipswich, admitted robbery and causing GBH with intent. Jamie Sawyer, mitigating, said his client is “extremely remorseful and sorry for
the hurt and upset he caused to a man he didn’t know”. Mr Sawyer said his client is still a young man of “limited maturity”, who had endured a difficult upbringing. Recorder Graham Huston sentenced Powell to four years and two months in a young offender institution. Describing the robbery as “vicious and nasty”, he said: “You have left him deeply traumatised and have destroyed his means of making a living and being his family’s breadwinner. “The amount of suffering you have caused to the victim, his wife and his children, is incomparable.” In Powell’s favour, Mr Huston highlight- ed his lack of previous convictions, his young age, his remorse and his difficult upbringing. But he said Powell had sought “in part” to blame his victim, adding: “The reality is your comprehension of his behaviour was entirely enforced by the alcohol you had consumed. “As you told officers in the aftermath, this was a straight robbery and assault of a taxi driver because you were angry at the amount of the fare.”
COUNCIL FINALLY DELIVERS SECOND TESTING CENTRE FOR BURY
A second taxi and PHV testing centre will open later this year - and political rivals in Bury have each claimed credit. Council officials have awarded a con- tract to Sunnybank Service Station, which will open on April 1, compliment- ing one already set up at Bradley Fold. Bury has 38 hackney carriages and 745 PHVs which all need two tests a year. Cllr Charlotte Morris, cabinet member for culture and the economy, said: “This will be warmly welcomed by drivers and operators in Bury, now giving them a choice of stations to use. “We’ve taken this action following
extensive consultation with the trade and listening closely to the feedback provided by drivers. “We promised last year we would do this, and now we have delivered on it.” Cllr Luis McBriar, shadow cabinet mem- ber for communities, leisure and culture, added: “This is absolutely fan- tastic news for our taxi drivers, Labour have failed to support this brilliant industry which is an integral part of our community. I’m pleased Labour have listened to the Conservatives on the MoT station, I now pray they listen on the clean air charge.”
FEBRUARY 2022
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