Fugitive killer driver's appeal bid fails

A DRIVER convicted of causing the deaths of a Rotherham father and son in a car crash in Lincolnshire three years ago has had an appeal against his sentence rejected.

Fugitive Syed Raza (27) was given a three-and-a-half year prison sentence in his absence last September for causing the crash in which Michael Rowley and his 14-year-old son Jonathan, were killed.

Raza was convicted in his absence at Lincoln Crown Court after failing to return to the UK from Pakistan for his trial.

The Court of Appeal this week rejected his application for leave to appeal, which was lodged from Pakistan.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said that it was unable to say what, if anything, was being done to bring Raza back to the UK to serve his sentence.

Michael and Jonathan were travelling by motorbike with friends on the A631 near Gainsborough in April 2007, on their way to spend a weekend in Lincolnshire, when Raza, formerly of Newland Street West, Lincoln, pulled out from a junction in front of them.

Raza, who had been living in the UK on a student visa and studying at the University of Lincoln, had denied the charges and claimed in defence that his view was obscured by a bollard.

While on bail he was allowed to visit his sick mother in Pakistan, but the UK Border Agency prevented his return to face trial on several occasions as his visa had expired.

Speaking before Raza was convicted, Jonathan's mother and ex-wife of Michael said: "When somebody is charged with causing death by dangerous driving it is hard to believe that they would be allowed to leave the country."

A judge ordered the agency to allow his return and Lincolnshire Police paid £516 for his flight but Raza failed to board the plane.

After the verdict Sgt Dave Kaye, from Lincolnshire Police, vowed to work to make sure Raza was bought back to the UK, possibly on an international arrest warrant.