Tears in court as driver who left death crash scene apologises to family

A man who struck a woman who died "didn't know what had happened" and "panicked" when he drove off and ran a red light, a court has heard.

There were tears in both the dock and the public gallery as Rashid Javed apologised directly to the family of Michelle Barlow. Javed, 38, struck pedestrian Ms Barlow, 41, as she crossed Chester Road, near the Tesco superstore in Stretford, last summer.

She was knocked into the opposing carriageway where she was hit by a second car. That vehicle, a Mercedes 220, stopped at the scene afterwards. However the Audi A8 being driven by Javed did not, a court was told.

READ MORE: Met Office issues new snow verdict for Greater Manchester as temperatures to fall again

He went through a red traffic light as he drove away, just after the collision at 10:13pm on July 22 last year. "He returned to the scene 33 minutes in a different vehicle"prosecutor Hannah Nicholls told Manchester Magistrates Court.

Ms Barlow was crossing the road and had "come to a stop on the edge of lane two" when she was struck by Javed, travelling eastbound towards Manchester city centre, Ms Nicholls said.

Ms Barlow was then "projected into lane two" of the opposite carriageway, "directly into the path of the Mercedes" Members of the public rushed to Ms Barlow's aid and began giving her CPR before the emergency services arrived. Sadly her injuries were "unsurvivable" and she was declared dead in hospital around an hour later.

Javed was prosecuted only for his actions after the collision, and was not charged with causing it.

The red light Javed went through was around "500 to 600 metres from the collision scene" Lee Hughes, defending said. He said that at that point Javed was "checking his wing mirrors." "He doesn't know what he's hit. He realises too late that he's about to go through a red light" he said.

Shortly after going through the light, Javed "stopped his vehicle" and viewed the footage on his dashcam. "He was unable to determine from the small screen what he had hit" he said. "He made his way back to the scene 33 minutes later and told them (the police) where his vehicle was.

There was "no attempt to hide himself or hide evidence" from officers Mr Hughes said. "It is an unusual fail to stop in that he returns to the scene.

"At that moment, he panicked, he didn't know what had happened. I suggest its possible to infer he didn't know or reasonably believe he had left an injured party at the scene." "He said to officers 'I was driving, I have hit something'" Mr Hughes said. "He has given himself over to the process and trusts in it."

In a letter of apology, read to the court by Mr Hughes, Javed said: "Words cannot express the guilt and remorse I am feeling. I am sorry."

He said he had also recently suffered bereavement after losing his father and grandfather but that "nothing compares to the heartache of losing Michelle."

Javed appeared moved to tears as Mr Hughes read the letter, in which he said: "Every day I wish I had taken a different route and Michelle was still alive.

"From the bottom of my heart I am deeply sincerely sorry." He said he understood that "no words can erase the suffering" as he added: "I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. I will carry this for the rest of my life."

Javed, of Bradfield Road, Stretford, pleaded guilty at earlier hearing to failing to stop at the scene of an accident and failing to comply with a red light signal.

The court heard Javed is a "professional driver." Mr Hughes said he "doesn't know if he will be returning to driving (work) in the near future. That's out of his control."

District Judge Lucy Hogarth allowed him to keep his licence as she ordered him to carry out unpaid work as punishment. "It's important to make clear there are no offences that indicate your culpability in the death of Michelle Barlow" she said.

She said his actions "made no difference to the outcome, either for Michelle Barlow or the investigation." "You are not here for the standard of your driving" she said. "You are here because of your poor decision making."

She told him he had a "legal and moral obligation" to stop and assist Ms Barlow, and to immediately "offer himself up for investigation." She said it was "extremely fortunate no further harm was caused" as a result of him running the red light.

Javed was handed a 12 month community order, with 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days. He was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work. His licence was endorsed with 10 penalty points. He was also ordered to pay £ 114 victim surcharge and £ 85 in costs.