A grieving father whose son died in a taxi accident is considering taking civil action against the driver convicted of obstructing the police investigation.

Stuart Lister, 18, was found with fatal head injuries at the side of Skipton Road, Steeton, in the early hours of May 1 last year. He died four days later in Leeds General Infirmary.

Hackney carriage driver Mohammed Riaz Shaban picked Stuart up in Keighley to take him to his home in Thornhill Road, Steeton, after a night out.

Shaban, 23, of View Road, Utley, Keighley, was convicted last week by Calderdale magistrates for obstructing police in their investigation and for failing to report the accident.

He was banned from driving for 12 months, ordered to pay £120 costs and given 120 hours' community service for each offence to run concurrently.

Shaban initially pleaded not guilty to failing to report the accident but changed his plea halfway through the proceedings.

He told the court that he failed to mention the accident to police when they first questioned him a few days later because he was frightened.

Today, Mr Lister, of Poplar Drive, Shipley, said he was determined to take civil action against Shaban over his part in the accident and was in negotiations with his solicitor about it.

"The trouble is we will never really know what happened that night. There were no witnesses but I can't believe Stuart would have jumped from a moving vehicle for no reason," he said.

Giving evidence last week, Shaban told magistrates that as they approached his home Stuart said he could not afford the fare and asked to go inside for some money.

He said he would not let Stuart leave the cab without leaving some kind of security but Stuart refused and he decided to take him to Keighley police station.

He told the court that as he headed back towards Keighley, Stuart tried to open the door but it was locked by the central locking system. He said Stuart then jumped from the moving cab after opening the electric passenger door window.

At an inquest last year into Stuart's death, Deputy Coroner Mark Hinchliffe told the Bradford hearing: "Let me say publicly that the reason we are in this difficult situation is that the driver of that cab failed to report the incident."

Shaban's solicitor, Keith Blackwell, of Blackwells in Keighley, said he could not comment on the possibility of civil action against his client.

Stuart's mother Christine Lister, manager of the Grouse Inn, Silsden, who is separated from her husband, said she was not involved in any legal action against Shaban.

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