'Justice was not served': Family of taxi driver killed on M606 speak of anger at sentence

The life of 28-year-old Sohail Ali was cruelly cut short when the cab he was driving was hit head-on by a stolen Ford Transit van being driven by Jack Simpson. He was only 15 at the time and on the wrong side of the motorway.

Jack Simpson. Picture: WYP (Image: WYP)

Mr Ali and his passenger Simon McHugh, 49, were pronounced dead at the scene, while 18-year-old Kyden Leadbeater, a passenger in the van, died in hospital the following day.

• Why wasn't teen driver who killed three people locked up for longer?

Simpson pleaded guilty to three charges of causing death by dangerous driving and one charge of dangerous driving on the same date.

He was sentenced to six years’ detention and will serve half that period, less his time on remand, then will be released on licence.

It means he will be approaching the age of 19 when he is freed. The sentence has prompted dismay and anger from the victims’ families as well as the wider public.

In a statement to the T&A, Mr Ali’s family said they had been left shocked. They said they had struggled to find closure, particularly as they had to wait to get his personal items back from police and were given trainers belonging to someone else. 

Police at the top of the M606 after the crash

“We and many, many other people believe justice was not served and this gentleman will be free to live his life freely after three years in prison,” said Mr Ali’s family.

“This is a person who took three innocent lives and affected countless others by his reckless actions.”

They said Simpson “totally understood what he was doing at the time” and added: “He has been treated as a minor and given a sentence shorter than some people receive for smaller charges such as assault.

“No consideration was given to the impact the losses have had on the families of all three that were killed that day by Simpson."

They slammed it as "a true miscarriage of justice.”

The family said Mr Ali’s father had been promised “on many occasions” the return of his son’s belongings.

Some have now been returned, they said, after many emails and phone calls.

In one awful blow, the family said Mr Ali’s father was given trainers belonging to someone else.

They added: “We felt as though we would have had some closure with the sentencing and return of his belongings, however, we are left in disbelief over the sentence given and still awaiting the return of his belongings.”

Detective Inspector Paul Conroy of the Major Collision and Enquiry team said: “We understand the trauma and grief a family experience when losing a loved one in such sudden circumstances. There were certain items of property we needed to retain as part of the investigation.

“Once the investigation concluded, we tried to return some of the property back as soon as possible.

“Unfortunately, trainers which Mr Sohail’s family believed were his, on seeing them were not and we apologise for the distress this has caused his family.

“We are carrying out a review of all the property seized during the investigation so we can formally identify which property belongs to whom.”

In a hearing last week, Judge Richard Mansell QC, the Recorder of Bradford, said the sentences “will be regarded by many as placing a wholly inadequate value on the lives of Mr Ali, Mr McHugh and Mr Leadbeater”.

He told Simpson: “They are not intended to place a value on their lives, and the sentences are in truth the maximum sentences I could pass on you for such offences.”

Mr McHugh’s brother Alastair wrote on Facebook: “Is that justice? So upset it hurts it hurts so much! My brother’s life only seems to be worth 12 months.”

Sentencing Simpson, Judge Mansell told him: "Life is priceless". 

In his remarks, he stated: “Nothing that I can do by way of sentencing you today can possibly compensate the families and friends of these three men who tragically lost their lives as a result of your senseless driving of that van.

“The sentence should not be taken as putting a value on their lives. Life is priceless.

“You will carry with you for the rest of your life the responsibility for killing these three young men and bringing untold grief and pain to their families.”