A swearing Imam who ran over and killed a man who was lying in the middle of the road has been spared jail after he told police he ‘might have run over a bin bag’.
Qari Hazarvi Abassi, 72, from Southall, was on his way to lead early morning prayers at the Abubakr Mosque in west London when he hit Harvinder Singh, 49, on May 4, 2021.
Two passers-by saw Mr Singh lying in the middle of Lady Margaret Road and tried to divert vehicles around him. He had been found in the road earlier
However, Abassi ignored the warning forcing the two people to jump out of the way before he drove over Mr Singh’s head and chest.
Mr Singh died later that morning at 4.11am from injuries including fractured ribs on his right side, damage to his liver, and abdominal haemorrhaging.
He was then arrested at his home at 5am, and told police he might have run over a bin bag.
He claimed he did not stop when he saw two men warning him of the hazard as he thought they were drunk.
He denied but was convicted of causing death by careless driving by an Old Bailey jury after a trial last month.
Abassi was sentenced to 36 weeks jail suspended for 12 months. He will also have to pay £1,800 in costs and he was disqualified from driving for three years.