At last, a deadly Birmingham driver has been handed a proper ban by a judge. Harinderpal Athwal, aged 41, an Uber Eats worker, killed someone after falling asleep at the wheel. He has a dreadful driving record.
Campaign for Justice
In 2025, Birmingham Live launched a campaign for killer hit-and-run motorists to be banned for life amid an epidemic of preventable fatal road accidents in the city. Following the latest tragic case to afflict our roads, a crown court judge actually considered the incredibly rare punishment.
The Incident
Uber Eats driver Harinderpal Athwal killed pedestrian Jatinder Verma after falling asleep at the wheel of his Vauxhall Corsa and straying onto the pavement in Soho Road, Handsworth. He also ploughed into the victim's wife, Bandana Verma, who was sent flying down a road. Instead of immediately trying to make amends for his catastrophic mistake, Athwal took the coward's way out. He reversed his car over the body of 54-year-old Jatinder and then moved forward, dragging the victim with him for a few yards. Whether it was from that or the original collision itself, the dad suffered fatal head, neck and chest injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Bandana Verma remains in a wheelchair several months on from the incident, which took place at 11:16 am on December 16 last year.
Arrest and Sentencing
Athwal, 41, from Oldbury, parked the car nearby and fled the scene but was later arrested. He confessed to a raft of offences, most significantly causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving, and was sentenced to 11 years and three months in jail. Athwal had worked for Uber Eats for around four months but was not on duty at the time of the incident. While undoubtedly tragic, the case was not the worst bout of driving dealt with by Birmingham Crown Court, which often hears of motorists highly intoxicated and/or travelling way beyond the speed limit.
Driving History
Judge Simon Drew KC considered a life driving ban in Athwal's case due to his dreadful driving history. He now has four convictions for 'driving while impaired', including two in relation to alcohol while a third was for failure to provide a specimen, which is treated just as seriously as drink driving. In his latest and most serious offence, it was accepted Athwal's impairment was 'fatigue'. The collision was compounded by the fact that magistrates had disqualified him from driving six days earlier for two offences of failing to provide information as to the identity of the driver of his car.
Judge's Remarks
Judge Drew said: 'One issue is whether this is a man who should ever be allowed to drive again. Whether this requires a life-time disqualification or a very substantial period of disqualification. It seems to me driving of this sort with a history of driving that way raises the serious questions of whether this is somebody who presents a significant danger to road users and should he ever be able to drive again. Driving is a privilege, not a right.' Birmingham Live says 'Amen, Your Honour'. To many readers, it might appear to be a no-brainer of a solution. However, such decisions have to be lawful and they cannot be made based on emotion.
Sentencing Guidelines
The Sentencing Council, of which Judge Drew is incidentally a member, states: 'There is nothing in principle preventing the courts from imposing lengthy disqualifications of several years on offenders, where this is proportionate and can be justified by the need for punishment and public protection. Lifetime disqualifications will be rare, in particular because of the increased risk of breach and the possibility of hindering rehabilitation prospects.' It adds that life bans will 'generally be inappropriate' unless there is psychiatric evidence and/or evidence of many previous convictions.
Defence Argument
Athwal, a father-of-four, had been driving some of his children to school prior to the collision. It was accepted he was unaware of his disqualification six days earlier because he had been found guilty and sentenced in his absence. Jasvir Mann, defending, said he was genuinely remorseful. He argued a life ban would be detrimental to his rehabilitation, pointing out the fact he had children. Judge Drew ultimately stepped back from the punishment, concluding it was 'not proportionate in the circumstances'. However, he went on to pass a lengthy disqualification of 20 years from the point of Athwal's release. That is 27 years and six months in total given he will be released after two thirds of his custodial sentence. Athwal will be 68 by the time he is first allowed back behind the wheel. It's not quite a life ban, but it's a start.
