An Uber driver has received a 10-month Intensive Corrections Order (ICO) after one of his passengers fell in front of a bus and died.
Nazrul Islam was last year found guilty of negligent driving occasioning death after accelerating away from traffic lights in Sydney’s CBD while his passenger was halfway out the rear door.
Samuel Thomas, a British man in his 20s living in Sydney, had been coming home from a night out when he fell out of the Uber and under a bus.
The New South Wales District Court heard it was not known why Mr Thomas attempted to exit the vehicle while it was stopped at a traffic light.
Judge Mary Ryan told the court while there was no malicious intent in Islam’s actions, the fatal consequences meant it fell into the mid-range level of seriousness.
The 32-year-old was sentenced to a 10-month intensive corrections order, for which he must complete 200 hours of community service.
His licence was suspended for 18 months.
ICOs were introduced into law late last year and act as a custodial sentence that can be served in the community.
Unlike a suspended sentence, supervision under an ICO is mandatory.
Outside court Islam’s solicitor Moustafa Kheir said his client would appeal the conviction.
“This is a very tragic case — there are no real winners in this case,” he said.
“He’s relieved that he’s not in jail and he will be appealing to try to exonerate his name and remove that conviction.”
During a previous court appearance, Judge Ryan said Islam did not keep a proper lookout and should have noticed the interior light illuminate as Mr Thomas left the vehicle.
She said she was not convinced the Uber driver had enough sleep in the 24 hours before his shift.
He had told the court he had slept for seven hours, but it was broken up in chunks between driving jobs.
Source: ABC News