Matab Uddin; Jailed for causing death by dangerous driving Pic: Met Police

An unlicensed minicab driver has been jailed for eight years after being found guilty of killing a man through dangerous driving.

Matab Uddin, 54, from Essex, who has previous convictions for minicab touting, left his passenger with fatal head injuries after driving off with the passenger clinging to the car.

Victim Oliver Farrell, 27, was on his way home from celebrating his brother’s birthday when Uddin picked him up at Old Street in east London, on November 17, 2013.

Farrell got out of the cab to use a cash machine, while Uddin drove off leaving him on Essex Road.

CCTV footage showed Uddin pulling up next to Farrell a few minutes later, followed by Farrell leaning in through the open passenger window.

Uddin then drove off at speed with Farrell clinging to the car.

He was dragged 100 yards down the road before he lost his grip and suffered severe head injuries.

Uddin failed to stop at the scene and drove off, with later footage showing him making a dangerous manoeuvre, crossing a central reservation, on Kingsland High Road trying to flee the scene.

Another taxi driver also witnessed the incident and took down his registration number.

Uddin turned himself in at a north London police station the following day.

Farrell died from his injuries at the Royal London Hospital three days after the incident.

Detective Sergeant Chris Osborne of the Metropolitan Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit said: “This case highlights the dangers posed by unlicensed minicabs.

“People trying to make their way home, especially late at night should only use pre-booked licensed minicabs or black cabs.”

Farrell’s brother, Ben, said: “Having to experience nearly two years to arrive at this position has been a hugely traumatic and terrible experience for us all, however it is incomparable to the pain we have felt and will continue to feel from the fact that Oli’s future has been taken from him and that such a bright light in our own lives will never be with us again.

“No punishment will ever bring Oli back, however we seek justice for the benefit of greater society to reduce the chances of other families having to experience what we have been through and will continue to go through.

“Oli was a fair man and would want nothing more and nothing less than this.”