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Walsall driver guilty of killing cousin in minibus crash

A driver who hit an oncoming minibus, killing his cousin who was a front-seat passenger, has been found guilty of causing death by careless driving.

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Shvan Taib's car spun across Park Lane into the path of the white Ford Transit minibus, hitting it side-on, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

He claimed the bus driver had shunted him from behind and later said he lost control of the car after hitting a pothole.

The trial was halted while police re-examined the Peugeot's nearside front and back wheels, as well as the scene of the collision.

Officers told the trial judge yesterday that the pothole claim did not stand up.

The two vehicles ended up facing in the same direction on the same side of the road, with the Peugeot in front.

Taib, from Walsall, told police that the minibus shunted into the back of him and repeated his claim in court.

The former Amazon worker, who came to the UK 10 years ago from Syria, said in his statement: "The minibus van was behind me. He hit me from behind because he was going very fast. He lost control of his car."

The 45-year-old claimed the impact turned his car at right-angles and that the minibus struck his car a second time on the passenger side.

Asked by Mr Thomas Kenning, prosecuting, what caused the collision, he said: "I think it was the first impact."

His cousin, 39-year-old Sheler Galli, died of multiple injuries. The pair were returning from a trip to Soho Road, Handsworth.

The court heard he had a clean licence. He said he had been travelling at 30mph to 35mph.

The collision happened at around 4.30pm just before a 'fairly tight' right-hand bend in the road, near the junction with Forge Lane, on May 14 last year, where signs advise drivers to reduce their speed to a maximum 40mph.

Pc McDonald, of the collision investigation unit, told the jury he did not think the pothole contributed to Taib losing control.

The minibus driver was alone, having just dropped off his last passenger in West Bromwich, and had been travelling at around 30mph, the court heard.

Mr Kenning said: "You don't spin out of control in that way without falling below the standards required of a reasonably competent driver."

Taib, of Tame Close, who denied the charge, was due to be sentenced today.

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