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Driver who killed a father after ploughing into his car at 72mph in a 30mph zone should have been banned from driving

Ivan Girga, 27, was driving his black VW Golf at 72mph in a 30mph zone in Manchester when he crashed into a Vauxhall Zafira the family were travelling in, killing a 42-year-old man. (MEN)
Ivan Girga, 27, was driving his black VW Golf at 72mph in a 30mph zone in Manchester when he crashed into a Vauxhall Zafira the family were travelling in, killing a 42-year-old man. (MEN)

A driver who ploughed into a family car at 72 mph in a 30mph zone killing another motorist has been jailed for nine years.

Ivan Girga, 27, was speeding in his black VW Golf in Crumpsall, Manchester when he crashed into a Vauxhall Zafira carrying seven people.

42-year-old dad Ghusanfar Illyas was killed in the horror smash, which happened on June 5, 2019.

Girga, a mechanic from Bolton, already had 25 points on his licence which - under the 'totting up' scheme - should have meant he was banned from driving, following convictions for driving with no licence or insurance.

Drivers who incur 12 points within three months usually face a minimum driving ban of six months but "human error and process issues" were to blame for Girga not being banned.

On the day of the crash, Mr Illyas' father was performing a 'perfectly legal' U-turn to take six members of his family to a cinema to celebrate his sons' 13th birthday.

Manchester Crown Court heard that Girga had been aggressively overtaking cars before the crash in the Golf, which he purchased the day before.

Girga admitted causing death by dangerous driving and five counts of causing serious injury and was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Mangled: The remains of Girga's VW Golf following the collision in Crumpsall, Manchester. (MEN)
Mangled: The remains of Girga's VW Golf following the collision in Crumpsall, Manchester. (MEN)

Prosecutors said that 'due to a combination of weaknesses in process and errors made at the court, Girga was not disqualified from driving despite accumulating a high number of penalty points'.

"Immediate action has been taken to address these failings," prosecutor Andrew Macintosh said, in a statement submitted by the magistrates' court.

A sentencing hearing on Thursday heard that Girga had been at KFC in Harpurhey with his three-year-old son prior to the crash.

On leaving the restaurant, Girga did not wear a seat belt, and did not put a seat belt on his son.

The boy got in the front seat and understood to have been standing in the foot well of the car.

The child did not have a car seat.

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A witness who saw Girga's car prior to the crash presciently said 'this car is going to crash with someone'.

Girga overtook a line of cars which had stopped for a pedestrian crossing.

At that point, Mr Illyas and his family came off the curb outside their home, and moved onto the road to perform the U-turn, where Girga ploughed into the side of the Zafira.

At the hospital, Girga told a nurse that his son, who sustained a broken arm, had been injured after falling from a bicycle.

He then lied by telling officers that he was the passenger in the Golf and that someone else had been driving.

Mr Illyas and his family members suffered severe injuries and were brought to hospital

Mr Illyas suffered bleeding in his chest cavity, and his condition worsened at hospital.

Girga admitted causing death by dangerous driving and five counts of causing serious injury and was jailed for nine years. (MEN)
Girga admitted causing death by dangerous driving and five counts of causing serious injury and was jailed for nine years. (MEN)

He went into cardiac arrest while awaiting surgery, and was pronounced dead at 11.10pm.

Mr Illyas' wife, also 42, suffered a broken neck.

His son, 13, suffered a broken jaw, chest injuries, bruising to his lungs, multiple rib fractures, a fractured collarbone, abdominal injuries, bruising to the kidney and multiple pelvis fractures. He also became deaf in one ear following the crash.

In a statement read to the court, Mr Illyas' wife, Ghazala Shaneen, said: "I find it difficult to put into words the impact this tragedy has had upon me.

"Ghusanfar was a really good, kind, helpful and wonderful man. He was everything a husband should be. Without doubt he was my everything."

Sentencing, Judge Patrick Field QC said Girga showed 'complete disregard for the safety of others', and that he 'deliberately ignored the rules of the road'.

Girga was also banned from driving for 12 years and three months.

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