Black cab driver who fled a fatal midnight hit-and-run and continued picking-up ... trends now
A black cab driver, who fled a fatal midnight hit-and-run and continued picking up passengers in his damaged taxi as his victim laid dying in the road, collapsed as he was jailed for four months.
London cabbie Farid Cheheb, 60, fatally injured Irish barman Shane Scannell, 44, who died in hospital four days later surrounded by his devastated family.
Cheheb, of Drummond Gardens, Epsom, Surrey, pleaded guilty to failing to stop after a road accident in nearby South Street on May 21, 2023.
The man, who was born in Algeria, was not charged with a more serious offence as a forensic police investigation found no fault with his driving.
As he was sentenced to four months imprisonment, and handed an eight month driving ban, Cheheb collapsed in the dock at Staines-upon-Thames Magistrates' Court, and was eventually taken away in an ambulance for an hour of medical attention.
London cabbie Farid Cheheb, 60, (pictured outside court) fatally injured Irish barman Shane Scannell, 44, who died in hospital four days later surrounded by his devastated family
Mr Scannell, 44, (pictured) had been working at the pub near to where he was hit on May 21 2023
Mr Scannell's sister said that the loss of her brother (pictured) had taken a mental toll on all of her family
Prosecutor Amanda Burrows told the court on Thursday: 'Very tragically it was the consequences of this defendant's actions that led to the death of Shane Scannell.
'Mr Cheheb was driving his black London taxi in Epsom town centre, collecting a fare from the railway station around midnight and taking the customer to Pine Hill.
'After dropping off the passenger he was driving in South Street, Epsom when he collided with a pedestrian, Mr Scannell, who had left McCafferty's public house at around midnight.'
The Tralee man, who was a keen Liverpool FC fan, worked at the pub and in her victim impact statement his sister, Jill Dawe said: 'Emotionally, the impact of Shane's death has devastated our family.'
Police officers investigating Mr Scannell's death 'considered a number of possible scenarios', the court was told, eventually concluding it was 'very unlikely' the victim had been 'upright and on two feet'.
'Maybe he had fallen and was in the process of getting to his feet when the vehicle collided with the victim and left him with traumatic injuries,' the prosecutor said.
'Very quickly after the collision members of the public became aware of Mr Scannell in the road and he was attended to fairly rapidly after the impact and taken to St. George's Hospital, south-west London.
'Police made enquiries and traced the vehicle back to this defendant,' said Ms Burrows. 'There was damage to the vehicle consistent with the accident and he was arrested and interviewed.
Cheheb's official Hackney Carriage Licence, which allows him to work and drive a black cab has been suspended for ten years
'He said he was aware of the impact and thought he had hit a deer or a fox, but this was not accepted by the officers because the visibility should have allowed him to see what he had collided with.'
Mr Scannell's sister added said that the loss of her brother had taken a mental toll on all of her family.
'On the night of May 21 my brother, who was walking home, was involved in an incident whereby he was struck by a moving vehicle and died,' she said. 'My brother suffered abhorrent injuries, which left him almost unrecognisable to his family.
'On the morning of May 21 at 2.30am I was woken by a police officer, who stated that my brother had been involved in an accident and they needed to take me via blue lights to St. George's.
'On arrival at the hospital I was told that ultimately my brother was going to die and at any moment could suffer a cardiac arrest and would not be revived. He died after life support was removed surrounded by his immediate family.
'My mother lost her only
