A doctor who deliberately drove his car at a pensioner when he ‘saw red’ has been spared jail after a judge was told he hoped to work at one of the Nightingale hospitals to help tackle coronavirus.
Dr Shah Ali, 40, knocked over a man in his 80s during a road rage incident in Birmingham then ‘heartlessly’ drove off without checking if he was injured.
Tim Easthope, defending Ali, told Birmingham Crown Court that if the doctor wasn’t sent to prison he would be able to work at the city’s Nightingale Hospital, despite it not yet having treated a single patient.
The temporary hospital, which was built in eight days and has the potential capacity for 4,000 patients over a 75,000 sq ft area, opened on April 10. But West Midlands mayor Andy Street admitted it has ‘not needed to be used’.
Dr Shah Ali, 40, knocked over a man in his 80s during a road rage incident in Birmingham then ‘heartlessly’ drove off without checking if he was injured
Ali, of Beaconsfield Road, Balsall Heath, was found guilty of dangerous driving following a trial and was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for two years.
On the afternoon of August 22, 2018, Ali drove his Mini to Highbury Park in Kings Heath, Birmingham, when he found himself ‘nose to nose’ with a Volvo turning right to go into the car park.
The court heard that Ali ‘saw red’ with the victim, in his early-80s, and got out of his car, launching a foul-mouthed tirade at him.
The pensioner, who was in the car park to take his dog for a walk, tried to explain to him that he only wanted to park in one of the two spaces available but was met with another ‘diatribe of abuse’.
Ali became even more enraged when the victim attempted to pacify his dog who had started yelping.
He reversed his car slightly and then drove towards the Volvo where the elderly man was standing by the door.
The hit and run took place at Highbury Park, in Kings Heath, Birmingham, (pictured) after Ali’s car came ‘nose to nose’ with the victim’s Volvo
It first looked like he was going to drive round it but then changed the angle and struck the victim with the wing mirror of his car causing him to fall to the ground.
A witness said Ali’s tyres were ‘spinning up chunks of gravel all over the place’.
The pensioner got up and then walked his dog but later went to the hospital where he was treated for minor injuries.
Mr Easthope told the court that what happened was completely out of character, that Ali was well respected and helped others.
He said the incident was 20 months ago, that Ali had since been employed in medical administration and that if he wasn’t sent to prison he would have the opportunity of working at the Nightingale Hospital.
The court also heard that in July 2019 Ali was suspended for six months by the General Medical Council over a matter of dishonesty in relation to his application to become a medical practitioner.
Ali was ordered to do 180 hours unpaid work, pay £23,100 in compensation and costs and was banned from driving for 18 months.
Defending Mr Ali Mr Easthope told Birmingham Crown Court (pictured) that if he wasn’t sent to prison the defendant would have the opportunity of working at the city’s Nightingale Hospital
In passing sentence Judge Richard Bond said: ‘The language you used was absolutely disgusting.
‘You were so heartless you did not look around. You intended to hit him. You are a man I find hard to sympathise with.
‘You deliberately drove at an old man contrary to all the public hopes and expectations of a man who had trained and qualified as a medical doctor.
‘You have shown no remorse whatsoever. That really is a pity from a man in your position.’
The judge said Ali was someone who ‘blames others and it is never him’ and during his trial had tried to claim that he had been the victim of some sort of conspiracy involving the Highbury Park Friends group.
The judge said he had taken into account Ali had no previous convictions and had done community work including helping out at a soup kitchen.