Cabbie cleared of careless driving

AN Oldham taxi driver who knocked down a sprightly 80-year-old former teacher on a pedestrian crossing, has been cleared of causing death by careless driving.

A jury of six men and six women returned a majority verdict after a week-long trial at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court.

Pensioner Clarice De-Looze had been at least a third of her way across the crossing on Guide Lane, Audenshaw, when she was struck by the black cab being driven by 43-year old Mohammed Rehman, on the night of May 21, last year.

The jury had been told that she had been within just a few feet of the safety of a central “refuge” island between two carriageways.

Witnesses described how she was hurled into the air by the impact. A post mortem found that she died within hours as a result of multiple injuries, particularly a “gross” fracture of her pelvis.

Family man Mr Rehman, who had been a cab driver for around four years, consistently maintained he had not seen her and was in no way responsible for the accident.

Nichola Gatto, prosecuting, said the Crown’s case was that Ms De-Looze had been crossing from the driver’s left to his right, that she would have been in full view, and he should have had ample time to see her, react and avoid a collision.

She told the jury: “This was a professional driver approaching a pedestrian crossing, and it is encumbent on any driver to pay particular attention to such a crossing. She didn’t drop out of the sky.”

Giving evidence, Mr Rehman, of Eric Street, alleged Ms De-Looze had stepped out directly in front of him from his right, not his left — then did a prompt U-turn, attempted to step back on to the island, leaving him no time to avoid hitting her.

The jury had heard that Mr Rehman, who it was accepted had been driving at within the 30 mph speed limit on the road, had not attempted to brake or swerve to avoid a collision.

The court had heard earlier that Ms De-Looze, of Winton Avenue, Audenshaw, had been extremely fit and agile for her age, and walked everywhere.

Eye witness Lee Ashton, who was standing outside the near-by Sun Inn pub, and saw the tragic accident said: “I just knew there was going to be an accident. I knew she was going to be hit.”