Drug driver sentenced for death of cyclist Andrew Platten
Andrew Platten was killed by a car driven by Akash Rashid, 22, who was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment today
Posted on 24 February 2017
An uninsured and unlicensed driver who killed a cyclist while under the influence of drugs has been sentenced to a total of 10 years’ imprisonment.
Dr Andrew Platten, 55, was killed after he was hit by a car driven by Akash Rashid who was attempting to escape from a police chase at the time.
Rashid, 22, pleaded guilty on 19 January 2017 at Bradford Crown Court to causing death by dangerous driving, driving without a licence, driving without insurance and driving while unfit through drugs. He was sentenced to nine year’s imprisonment for the driving offences with an additional six months for drug offences and a further six months for an assault offence and banned from driving for eight years.
Dr Platten was killed when his bicycle was hit by a Vauxhall Vectra driven by Rashid in Bingley, West Yorkshire, on 19 July 2016.
Dr Platten’s family said in a statement:
"Andrew excelled as a respected and dedicated academic, with a love for art, poetry and music. For anyone that knew him, cycling was his true passion as he became a recognised competitive rider on the roads.
"Most importantly he was a loved friend, loyal brother and uncle, loving partner and a truly inspirational father. He will be deeply missed, but he has left his stamp on all who met him.
"He will always be cherished and never forgotten, living on in all our hearts.”
Rachel Botterill, a solicitor in law firm Leigh Day’s cycling team, is representing the family in a civil claim against the driver.
She said: “We hope that the sentence determined by the Courts acts as a deterrent to other drivers who may consider such reckless behaviour which in this case led to the death of a prominent academic and much loved family man.”