A man has been sentenced to 16 years in jail after driving into a group of pedestrians in Stockwell
A man has been sentenced to 16 years in jail after driving into a group of pedestrians in Stockwell. Mustafa Esmail, 21, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to five counts of Grievous Bodily Harm and was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, 10 July. He was also sentenced to nine months for an unrelated Actual Bodily Harm offence, to be served concurrently. The court heard that at around 3a, on Saturday, 2 December 2017, Esmail and a group of friends attempted to gain entry to a bar on Stockwell Road, Lambeth but were not allowed in. An altercation ensued in which a male victim was assaulted and then threatened by Esmail who then left the scene. Minutes later, he returned in a white VW Golf, driving onto the pavement outside the bar and hitting a group of pedestrians. He then abandoned the car and fled on foot, along with a number of other occupants of the vehicle. The five men injured, aged between 23 and 42, suffered multiple broken bones including leg fractures, a broken shin and a spleen injury. A number of the victims required surgery; none suffered life-changing injuries. Officers from Lambeth CID launched an investigation and identified that the car used in the attack was a rental vehicle, hired the previous day. A phone in the car linked it to Esmail, as did blood found on the airbag and fingerprints on the windows. Police established that a call was made to a taxi firm minutes after the incident, with the driver confirming he picked up Esmail and two other men. On Thursday, 21 June 2018, following an extensive manhunt, Esmail was stopped on Brompton Close, Hounslow and arrested. Despite giving false details, fingerprints revealed his true identity and he was charged in connection with the Stockwell Road offence. Detective Constable Tom Baxter, from the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "Esmail’s deliberate actions left a number five victims with significant injuries and it is only down to sheer good fortune and the work of the emergency services that the consequences were not more grave. "Esmail attempted to evade police but will now have a considerable period of time to reflect on his behaviour that night. "We hope this sentence brings those involved some closure and demonstrates our commitment to getting individuals intent on causing harm off our streets. "This conviction was achieved thanks to a diligent and thorough investigation by officers and is a good example of the excellent work undertaken by MPS detectives to investigate crime and bring those responsible to justice."
