A Keighley taxi driver was today banned from driving after being found guilty of obstructing police in their investigation of a tragic accident.

Stuart Lister, 18, of Thornhill Road, Steeton, Keighley, was found bleeding profusely from the head by the side of Skipton Road in the early hours of May 1 last year after jumping from the taxi of Mohammed Riaz Shaban.

Stuart died in Airedale Royal Infirmary four days later.

Today, Stuart's parents Christine and Keith expressed their disappointment at the sentence and said Shaban should have stopped to help their son.

Shaban, 23, of View Road, Utley, Keighley, admitted failing to report an accident and was found guilty by Halifax Magistrates of obstructing police in the execution of their duty with regards to the accident.

He was taking Stuart from Keighley to his home in Steeton. Shaban had told the court that Mr Lister had jumped from his cab in Skipton Road after refusing to pay the fare. He lowered the electric window and jumped out of the Hackney Carriage.

The chairman of the bench Neil Making today ordered Shaban to pay £120 costs and serve a community service order of 120 hours for each offence to run concurrently. He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.

But Stuart's father Keith said after the hearing: "What I cannot forgive him for is leaving my son at the side of the road like that. I'm extremely disappointed with the outcome and I believe Shaban is still not telling the truth about what happened that night."

Stuart's mum, Christine, also said she was disappointed with the sentence Shaban received. She told the Telegraph & Argus: "It's destroyed my life and the life of my two other children. I can't believe the sentence he's received, it's just unbelievable considering what happened."

Shaban had pleaded not guilty to obstructing police in the execution of their duty. He initially pleaded not guilty to failing to report an accident but had later changed his plea to a guilty one.

Earlier the court heard that Jane Leyton was one of the cab drivers who found Mr Lister.

She said in a statement: "I saw a young boy with short hair. There was thick blood oozing out and spreading from his neck and head. I could see the pool of blood was getting bigger and bigger and thought it must be serious."

Speaking of the incident, Shaban said: "I was a bit nervous. I was a bit scared. I was too scared to say anything to anyone."

Keith Blackwell, defending, said: "His reaction was frailty of human nature. Fear grabbed him by the throat and refused to let go."

Richard Firth, prosecuting said: "He made it difficult for the officer to carry out his job. What he did was deliberate and that has to be taken into account."

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