Amar Atwal: Taxi driver gets six years jail for causing death of boy, 12, in horror smash

Amar Atwal suffered 'devastating' brain injuries after being thrown from a car, in which he was a back-seat passenger, by the force of the impact.

Nadeem Hussain caused the crash after he failed to stop at a junction in Stone Cross, West Bromwich where he should have given way.

CCTV footage played to the jury at Birmingham Crown Court showed Hussain's Vauxhall Astra coming straight across Hollyhedge Road from Thursfield Road and wiping out the oncoming Mitsubishi Outlander, which ended up on its roof.

Paramedics battled to save young footballer Amar, who had not been wearing a seat belt, but he died two days later from his injuries at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

The schoolboy's cousin, also 12, was seriously injured.

Investigators calculated Hussain, 35, of Lloyd Street, Dudley, was travelling at around 36mph in a 30mph zone.

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The Mitsubishi, being driven by Amar's relative Gurvinder Kaur, was also judged to have been going above the speed limit at around 50mph.

But prosecutors said it was Hussain who caused the crash, in May 2015, as he had driven straight across the junction, where there were 'clear' give way markings on the road.

Hussain drove for ABC Taxis in Dudley but was off-duty at the time.

The jury took an hour to find him guilty of causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving yesterday. He was jailed for six years.

Hussain was on the way to visit his sister and told the jury during the trial that he had brakes on the approach to the junction but carried on across as he could see no vehicles coming from either direction.

He claimed the blame lay with the driver of the Mitsubishi. But Adam Western, prosecuting, said his account was 'rubbish'.

Judge Francis Laird QC said he had shown no remorse or empathy for the grieving family.

Judge Laird told him: "You knew that junction well. You knew there was a risk of a vehicle travelling across your path.

"You took a risk.

"What you did that fateful evening will last with others for the rest of their lives."

Amar, from Great Barr, played for Willenhall-based Sporting Khalsa and attended Queen Mary's Grammar School in Walsall.

His parents said they continued to be debased by the loss of their son, who was described as bright and caring.