Taxi driver killed man minutes after police stop

A speeding taxi driver who caused a pedestrian's death 16 minutes after police warned him about his driving has been jailed for six years and 10 months.

Shakoor Ahmed, 46, had been warned by Gloucestershire Police about his driving minutes before he struck 32-year-old Daniel Beames as he crossed the road on 17 December 2021.

Ahmed pleaded guilty to causing the death of "kind" Mr Beames by dangerous driving.

Mr Beames, who has been described by friends as "a king of practical jokes and puns," suffered fatal skull fractures when he was hit.

Just after receiving the official warning, Ahmed picked up two passengers in his Toyota Prius cab and was driving at 53mph in a 40mph limit in Cheltenham when he hit Mr Beames on Lansdown Road.

The passengers told the court that they saw Ahmed reach speeds of 100mph before the crash, and that Ahmed was boasting about just being stopped by police.

On sentencing at Gloucester Crown Court, Judge Rupert Lowe told Ahmed: "I characterise the dangerous driving came from a gross arrogance on your part, meaning you felt you could speed when you wanted to."

Judge Lowe said it had been the right decision from police to initially give Ahmed a section 59 warning for speeding on Denmark Road.

Jessica Beames, Mr Beames' partner, said since his death there was an "emptiness, a cavernous void" inside her that has grown bigger over time.

She explained that she changed her name by deed poll to Beames and had been unable to work as a frontline paramedic since the night of his death.

Ms Beames said: "There was a shift in my soul. His death killed me too.

"Physically I'm here but a part of me died with him that day."

She said she had been unable to explain to her six-year-old son why Mr Beames died.

"Whatever the outcome of this, there is no justice. His family and friends have received a life sentence," Ms Beames added.

Gloucestershire Police staff investigator Nigel Davies said Ahmed's driving was "pure arrogance and recklessness".

"To be stopped by police, most motorists would heed that warning and reflect on their driving but it was no deterrent to him," Mr Davies said.

Yvette White, Mr Beames' mother, said: "Daniel was my only son, my friend, my protector, he was kind generous and funny."

She described her son as "intelligent, extremely lovable" and the "perfect son".

She continued: "Daniel's life has gone and rest of the family is ruined.

"I don’t know how to recover from this.

"The driver not only took away my son's life, he destroyed mine as well."

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