A JUDGE apologised yesterday to a woman left disabled by a drink-driving Huddersfield businessman.
Judge Jonathan Durham Hall. pictured, told Sarah Johnson he was sorry his powers of sentencing were so limited in such cases.
The judge noted that Parliament was considering a change in the maximum sentence of two years for dangerous driving.
But he said the offence of inflicting grievous bodily harm could not be used as a “device” for exceeding the proper sentence.
“I am sure the police have outlined this to the victim. I apologise yet again that my powers are so limited.”
The judge was dealing with Kleem Ashraf, 35, of Steeplands, Bradley, who had previously been twice disqualified from driving.
Miss Johnson – who is in her 20s – was a passenger when Ashraf’s car crashed in August.
She was in court to see Ashraf sentenced to two years after he admitted dangerous driving, inflicting grievous bodily harm and driving over the limit.
Miss Johnson was severely injured when Ashraf’s Vauxhall Tigra went out of control and crashed on the Huddersfield Road close to the Calderdale Royal Hospital, Halifax.
Bradford Crown Court heard that Ashraf was twice the drink-drive limit at the time of the early morning crash and his vehicle had been travelling at about double the 30mph speed limit.
Prosecutor Robert Galley said Miss Johnson suffered fractured ribs, a puncture left lung and pelvic fractures requiring surgery. Eleven days after the accident she had to have screws inserted into her pelvis.
The court heard that Ashraf, who runs a business employing six people, had previous convictions for driving while disqualified dating back to 2003 and 2004.
Ashraf’s barrister Zarif Khan said his client would be remorseful for the rest of his life and no doubt realised the consequences of his stupidity on that particular day.
The judge said one witness described high-revving, as if Ashraf was in a racing car and a motorist said that his speed had been “grossly excessive”.
“You were driving so fast you lost control, collided with a street lamp and other street furniture causing significant damage to your car and life-threatening, certainly life-changing, injuries to your passenger and then friend Sarah Johnson,” said Judge Durham Hall.
“She, in the victim impact statement, states that which is self-evident – a gifted, fit young lady with immeasurable prospects has been left seriously disabled, as we speak, in terms of mobility. One can only wish her, of course, absolutely the best in making a more successful recovery.
“You have changed, if not ruined, her life which is a feature of these cases”.
Ashraf was sentenced to 20 months in prison in relation to the dangerous driving and inflicting grievous bodily harm, with an additional four months behind bars for the drink-driving offence.
He was banned from driving for five years and ordered to take an extended re-test at the end of the disqualification period.
