A hero taxi driver ran towards a car fire to try to save the driver and passenger.
Russell Cooper was driving when he saw that a car had crashed into a roundabout connecting East Prescot Road and Pilch Lane just before 5am on October 10, 2021. He rushed towards the incident with a fire extinguisher from his own car, in an attempt to help the passengers still trapped inside as the car burst into flames.
Mr Cooper was able to save the driver, Nasrin Saleh, 26. Saleh was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday (June 5).
READ MORE: Mum high on nitrous oxide killed friend in horror crash after driving at 103mph
On March 17, she pleaded guilty to causing the death of passenger Luqman Mehboob by dangerous driving.
Prosecuting, Arthur Gibson told the court that Luqman Mehboob was the passenger in a Volkswagen Golf GTI driven by Saleh that crashed into the roundabout in Knotty Ash on October 10, 2021. He died at the scene.
At around 4.45am on October 10, Saleh was driving the car at 103mph along East Prescot Road after inhaling large quantities of nitrous oxide. She then crashed the car into the roundabout with Pilch Lane, flipping it onto its side before it caught fire.
Saleh had been in Manchester on a night out with friends. She then met with another friend Shujata Begum and they got into the Volkswagen with Mr Mehboob, who drove them around Manchester city centre as they listened to music.
They then got onto the motorway to return to Liverpool. It was at this point that Mr Begum realised that Mr Mehboob and Saleh were both using nitrous oxide canisters.
He later told police that Saleh "was having loads of these, approximately two to three boxes which each contained 15 canisters". Mr Begum was dropped off on Upper Stanhope Street at around 4.15am to return to his own car.
Mr Begum saw the Volkswagen drive off with Mr Mehboob still behind the wheel. The car then drove away from the city centre - it was seen on CCTV from a Shell Garage on Liverpool Road, heading outbound.
At this point, the car was not seen to have been driven erratically or at excessive speed. However, at some point Saleh swapped into the driver's seat and the car turned around to head towards Liverpool city centre. It is not known when or where the swap took place as Saleh answered "no comment" in a police interview.
Shortly before 4.45am, a witness was driving along East Prescot Road at the 40mph speed limit. He saw the Volkswagen overtake him at high speed, which he estimated to be above 80mph.
He saw the car continue at high speed along the road as it approached the roundabout connecting East Prescot Road with Pilch Lane. The car crashed into the roundabout, taking its front end into the air before it rolled onto its side and then roof. Around ten seconds later, it burst into flames.
Taxi driver Mr Cooper arrived at the scene as the car fire began. He took the fire extinguisher from his car and ran towards the Volkswagen.
He was able to drag Saleh from the wreckage but the fire intensified. While Mr Cooper was carrying Saleh away to safety, she said: "we swapped, we were doing balloons, me baby, me friend, is he still in there".
The taxi driver returned to the fire and tried to reach Mr Mehboob but he was unresponsive. Mr Cooper was forced to step back due to the strength of the fire and smoke.
Merseyside Police, fire and ambulance crews arrived at the scene but nothing could be done to save Mr Mehboob. Saleh suffered injuries – a fracture to her lower left leg and ankle - and was taken by ambulance to hospital.
Mr Mehboob's body was recovered after the fire was extinguished. A post-mortem examination found that he suffered catastrophic head and internal injuries which meant he lost consciousness immediately, ultimately resulting in his death.
Saleh was jailed for four and a half years. After passing sentence, judge David Aubrey KC praised Mr Cooper's actions. He said: "I commend Mr Cooper, who saved one life but tried in vain to save another. His courage knew no bounds".
Judge Aubrey handed Mr Cooper a High Sheriff award of £250.
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