Three Years in Jail for Criminal Who Left Boy Bedridden for Life

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Saboor Gul's father disappointed at sentence as he fights for visa for boy’s mother

The man who ran over a 13 year-old boy in Shepherd’s Bush and left him in a coma when he was attempting to escape from police has been jailed for three years.

36-year-old James McDonagh of Tottenham knocked over pedestrian Saboor Gul in Bulwer Street, W12 on 17 October last year. He had drove off at high speed at around 1.40pm when approached by police officers on Caxton Road who were responding to reports that McDonagh had been trying to sell them fake Apple laptops and tablets.

He turned into Bulwer Street where he hit Saboor who was on his way to a tuition centre throwing him into a parked motorcycle leaving him with serious head injuries. McDonagh did not stop and his car was later found abandoned in India Way in the White City Estate, W12.

Saboor was taken to Great Ormond Street Hospital and then transferred to another hospital where he continues to receive treatment and long-term rehabilitation for a severe head injury. McDonagh handed himself in to police three days later after a major manhunt.

The father of Saboor , Ghafoor Gul, said: " Saboor was smart, intelligent and very hard working. He has only been in the UK for a couple of years and had already achieved what most people would envy. Saboor had a bright life ahead of him; everything was taken from in a matter of seconds by someone who had complete disregard to other people's lives.

"Saboor will most likely remain bedbound for the rest of his life. He will have no or very limited chance in life. He will remain dependent on others to eat, clean or do anything a normal person would do. He won't be able to go to a normal school or do anything a teenager would do. His innocence, childhood, adulthood and simply his life is taken from him. People die once in life, but from the day of his accident, we, his family, are dying every day and will probably do so until the end of his life.

"This has put a massive strain on my life, as I am on my own and Saboor's mother is still abroad."

Mr Gul now spends most of his day at Saboor’s bedside. He has applied for a visa for his wife to join him four times but the Home Office has refused him four times.

McDonagh of Devonshire Hill Lane, Tottenham pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and causing injury by dangerous driving and was jailed for a total of three years and nine months at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday, 12 February.

Mr Gul said, "The prison sentence for killing someone by dangerous driving is up to 14 year in jail and the maximum sentence for injuring someone is five years no matter how serious and life changing the injury may be. We are very disappointed that this is the case but we hope that this changes very soon in order to protect families like us in the future."

Detective Sergeant Jeff Edwards of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit based as Merton led the investigation. He said, "I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Saboor's father, whose dignified silence towards McDonagh has not gone unnoticed by those who have investigated this incident. I first met Ghafoor at the scene of the collision where I had to explain to him that his son had been taken by ambulance to hospital in a life threatening condition.

"Throughout our investigation he paid little attention to the man who has destroyed his son's promising future, but instead concentrated his efforts on supporting his son's battle to recover. All we can offer is our thoughts and best wishes.”

Sergeant Edwards also praised the members of the public who stopped and helped Saboor whilst he lay on the ground and the witnesses who came forward. He also thanked DC Andy White the investigating officer, Forensic Collision Investigator Sean Wakeman and Family Liaison Officer PC Alison Sellers for their dedication in bringing McDonagh to justice and for providing support to the family.

He added, "As regards to McDonagh - a career criminal - we can only hope he truly comprehends the hurt and devastation he has caused to Saboor and his family. His actions that day were deplorable."

 

February 16, 2016