'I wonder what she would have thought of the justice she has received': Partner of woman killed speaks out after man walks free

The devastated family of a university lecturer killed in a horror crash have told of their grief over their loss.

Laura Ford, 36, was killed by a speeding driver after attending a social function at Manchester Metropolitan University, where she worked. She was leaving her department’s Law Ball when Sabir Sharif hit her as she crossed the road in Hulme, close to the university.

Sharif, then 19, now 22, had been driving at 50mph in a 20mph zone before braking prior to impact. But Ms Ford suffered fatal injuries and died following the collision, at about 1am on May 1, 2022.

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Sharif avoided prison by ‘the very narrowest of margins’, after pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving. During his sentencing hearing, Ms Ford’s fiancé Thomas Fletcher paid tribute to his partner.

He said that while the court had heard devastating details about her last moments during the case, it had not heard about the type of person Ms Ford was. Mr Fletcher said: “What we didn’t hear was how much of an amazing and empathetic person she was. We didn’t hear about how the world is a worse place without her.

“I am left with a future that I didn’t want. I didn’t get to say goodbye to Laura. I couldn’t tell her what a wonderful person she was.”

Mr Fletcher said that Ms Ford had previously been a solicitor, was passionate about the law and had written to inmates on death row. He recalled the agonising moment that her life support was turned off.

He said: "The decision to turn off the life support machine was turning off a light that lives within me. I left hospital that day to go home alone to answer messages sent to Laura, to let people know why she couldn’t respond, to tell people she had been killed.”

He said that their dog would ‘stare at the front door’ waiting for Ms Ford, waiting for her to return home. Tributes were also paid to Ms Ford on behalf of close friends who had known her since childhood. They told how she was ‘thoughtful’ and ‘kind’, and always provided ‘great advice’.

Mr Fletcher continued: “Losing Laura has had a devastating impact on so many people.”

'Your actions took that away from her'

He then turned to address Sharif, who was sitting in the dock, a short distance away.

Mr Fletcher told him: “You have continued to live your life over these past two years. You have continued to enjoy the freedom that life brings. Laura didn’t have that opportunity. Your actions took that away from her.

“In life we need to be accountable for the actions and impact you have on people. The emotional toll of your actions has been absolutely immense on us.

“I wonder what she would have thought of the justice she has received. There is no escaping that the outcome of this trial is a difficult one for us to come to terms with. I am not a person seeking revenge, I am a person suffering a deep sense of loss.”

Judge Sarah Johnston ruled that she was able to avoid sending Sharif to prison ‘by the very narrowest of margins’. She said that Sharif’s age at the time and concerns raised about his welfare, including previous reports of suicidal thoughts, were factors in her decision.

“This was, I must acknowledge, a momentary and impulsive decision by you,” the judge said. She sentenced Sharif to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years.

He was ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work and ten rehabilitation activity requirement days. Sharif, of Roberts Avenue, Rusholme, was banned from driving for two-and-a-half years and must carry out an extended retest before getting behind the wheel again.