An uninsured student 'smirked and laughed' before ploughing his car into the 'courageous' Kingston University security guard trying to stop him fleeing the scene of a crash, a court heard.
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Talal Al-Hindi, of Raeburn Avenue, Surbiton spent four days on the run after hitting 44-year-old Jason Butler in the university’s Penrhyn Road campus on July 10 last year.
The 20-year-old had borrowed a blue Ford Focus and was not insured to drive when he hit a Ford Ka in the university car park, Kingston Crown Court heard today.
After trying to bribe the driver he hit with £70 and then giving a false name and number he tried to flee the car park before Mr Butler attempted to stop him.
CCTV footage shows Al-Hindi reversing into Mr Butler before putting the car into first gear and driving toward the exit at speed, a judge was told.
Mr Butler is seen hitting the windscreen and rolling off the side of the car.
The Kingston University student then dumped the car in a nearby street.
Mr Butler told the court: “When I threw my hand up and shouted ‘Stop’ he started laughing. Until that point I didn’t seriously think he was going to run me over [but] then I realised I was in trouble.
“It wasn’t an accident. He laughed and drove straight at me.”
Mr Butler added that he had sustained injuries to his knee, elbow and a five inch deep gash on his shoulder. He also said had he suffered from posttraumatic stress.
Al-Hindi had previously admitted charges of actual bodily harm and dangerous driving but denied smiling and laughing as he ran over the security guard at a hearing on March 1, claiming he was in a “blind panic” when Mr Butler tried to stop him leaving the car park.
The defence team elected to go to a ‘Newton hearing’ to decide the severity of the sentence.
Mr Butler’s colleague Marco Vitelli, who also witnessed the crash, said: “He was smirking.
"He was looking at Mr Butler. He put [the car] in first gear and accelerated quite rapidly.
“That is when the smirking turned into laughing.”
Defence lawyer Laura Plant argued that Al-Hindi was under severe stress at the time because of family problems that had left him as the “man of the house” and suggested a “short, sharp shock” was needed.
Judge Andrew Campbell told Al-Hindi: “Mr Butler was courageously doing his duty. I accept the evidence of Mr Butler and Mr Vitelli. I have decided that your intention was to get away, not necessarily cause injuries to Mr Butler.
“But you were prepared to hit him to get away and that is what you did."
Al-Hindu, who was convicted of common assault and drug possession after the university crash, was sentenced to 18 months in a young offenders institute for ABH and dangerous driving.
He was also ordered to pay Mr Butler £500 compensation.
- Got a story? Call the newsdesk on 020 8722 6318 or email rachael.burford@london.newsquest.co.uk.
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