Leamington doorman gets suspended prison sentence after driving his car at attacker and knocking him down

A Leamington night club doorman who deliberately drove onto the pavement and knocked down a customer who had assaulted him has received a suspended prison sentence,
Ishtiaq AhmedIshtiaq Ahmed
Ishtiaq Ahmed

Ishtiaq Ahmed had pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to dangerous driving and attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm with intent during the incident in Leamington town centre.

But following an adjournment for a psychiatric and pre-sentence reports to be prepared on him Ahmed, 33, of Hazeldene Road, Sheldon, Birmingham, was sentenced to a total of 21 months – suspended for two years.

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Ahmed, who had previous convictions for dangerous driving and driving while disqualified, was also banned from driving for three years.

Of the incident in October 2015, prosecutor Simon Hunka had conceded: “There is an element of provocation, and it was an attempt, not an effective section 18 grievous bodily harm with intent.”

He said Ahmed was working at the Altoria night club in Leamington at the time, where there had been an incident between him and his victim Steven Dubrava.

That had been indicated by Mr Dubrava, ‘a man with a substantial criminal record’, later saying: “Just because I gave him a slap doesn’t mean he can do this to me.”

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Bleeding as a result of the attack, Ahmed was caught by a CCTV camera in Bedford Street at about 3.30am pulling up in his Toyota Corolla next to a group of people including Mr Dubrava.

Ahmed turned in the road and appeared to drive towards Mr Dubrava, who may have been struck a slight blow by the car and began to attack it before shoving a large wheeled bin towards it.

Ahmed later drove after Dubrava and mounted the kerb, causing him to be thrown up onto the bonnet.

Sentencing Ahmed, Recorder Christopher Goodchild told him: “Last time we met I looked at the video of the incident, and I expressed the view that provocation by the behaviour of those thugs was no defence to you driving your vehicle at them, albeit at a very slow speed.

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“I indicated how I could not see how it could not be a sentence of immediate imprisonment, and that it would be between two and three years.

“Today I have read a psychiatric report, and I also have sight of an earlier report written by a different doctor in June.

“You were working as a bouncer, and as part of your duties you had to eject some hooligans who were misbehaving.

“They waited for you, that’s clear, and when you came out of the club there was a confrontation in which you got roughed up by the victim in this case.

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“You got in your car, and further altercations occurred, and at one stage the group gathered round your car and did some damage to it.

“This seems to have triggered you into using your car as a weapon, and the result is that the man who punched you ended up on the roof of the car.

“He was bruised, but fortunately no more than that, but you agree your intent was to cause him grievous bodily harm.

“The lowest you could have received for that offence alone must be in the region of two to three years.

“But two factors mean I can adjust that sentence. One is the element of provocation, and the other is medical.”

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