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The court examined the circumstances surrounding an incident in which Thomas Goulty consumed two lagers before driving his silver Vauxhall Astra at a speed of 64mph in an area where the speed limit was 30mph. While traveling at this excessive speed, he collided with a Peugeot Expert Tepee taxi driven by 69-year-old Sarwar Mohammad. Both vehicles were involved in a serious crash in a residential zone.
Sarwar Mohammad, a resident of Willow Brook Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to the same offences linked to the crash. He received a prison sentence of six months, which was suspended for two years, and was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid community work. The court heard that the crash was caused by the combined negligence of both drivers.
Prosecutor Steven Bailey explained that Donna Brighton, a local woman celebrating her 60th birthday with friends, was not known to the Sidsaff family who had travelled to Leicester for the Radio 2 in the Park music festival. Despite this, they shared a taxi because their destinations were aligned. Bailey described how the taxi was making a right-hand turn towards Westfield Road across the central reservation of a dual carriageway when the collision occurred.
Bailey detailed Goulty’s reckless behavior, stating that minutes before the crash, Goulty had messaged someone confirming he was “just out having a couple of beers.” Although a roadside breath test after the incident detected alcohol, further analysis did not definitively prove he was above the legal limit. Nevertheless, his speed was deemed excessive, reaching 64mph before the crash and 55mph upon impact. Bailey condemned Goulty for leaving very little time to react and braking too late, highlighting that he drove at roughly twice the speed limit in poor conditions and darkness after drinking.
Regarding Mohammad’s role in the crash, Bailey indicated that Brighton was assisting him with directions, which distracted him at a critical moment. The taxi was initially traveling lawfully at 25mph within the 30mph zone but slowed to 8mph to make the right turn. However, crucially, Mohammad did not come to a complete stop or take all necessary precautions to prevent the collision. The force of the crash was such that Brighton was ejected through the taxi’s open window, suffering fatal injuries to her head and chest. Other passengers in the vehicle sustained serious injuries, including multiple broken bones.
Defence barristers for both Goulty and Mohammad conveyed remorse for the tragic events. During sentencing, Recorder Jacob Hallam KC remarked on the devastating impact of the incident: “You took Donna Brighton’s life, and the people who loved her are still paying the price of that today, and you caused the Sidsaffs, as I have said, terrible injuries.” Goulty has been banned from driving for five years and must pass an extended driving retest before regaining his license. Mohammad received a two-year driving disqualification but is not required to take the extended retest
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