Overview
- A Birmingham Crown Court judge in May sentenced Harinderpal Athwal to 11 years and three months in prison, imposed a 20-year driving ban, and required an extended retest.
- CCTV showed his Vauxhall Corsa mount the pavement on Soho Road, hit the couple, reverse, and then move forward to strike the man again before driving off.
- Jatinder Verma, 54, died at the scene, and his wife Bandana, 47, suffered life-changing injuries and remains in a wheelchair as she grieves her husband.
- Police traced and arrested Athwal within 24 hours, and he pleaded guilty to causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, driving without a licence or insurance, and failing to stop or report.
- Judge Simon Drew KC considered a lifetime ban because of Athwal’s prior driving convictions and a disqualification six days earlier, and the court accepted fatigue as the factor behind the crash.