A killer driver who once received £4,000 after a Met Police officer dumped him in a bin has been jailed for 14 years for mowing down a former soldier.
Anop Singh, 31, had been drinking on the day he struck former Irish soldier John 'Frank' Heneghan, 72, while travelling between 47 and 76mph in a 30mph zone.
He did not stop at the scene, and tried to convince police he was not at the wheel when the fatal crash happened.
Wood Green Crown Court heard Singh was 14 when a plain-clothes officer placed the teenager feet-first in the litter bin for less than a second in 2005.
He was dubbed 'bin boy' following the incident and received £4,000 in compensation while the officer was given a written warning by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
As the victim lay seriously injured in the road, Singh drove over Mr Heneghan's body in Haringey, north London, on August 12 2017, to escape.
Prosecutor Louise Oakley said 'any competent driver would have realised that the body would have been in front of the car' but Singh 'callously' ignored that.
Singh drove home with an injury to his eye and a smashed windscreen.
Earlier he had necked three or four shots, a pint of Guinness and been at a bar downing Moet champagne with friends.
Later the same day, he called police and told them his rented VW Golf was seriously damaged on his drive.
He said that he had no knowledge as to how the car had got there in that state, despite having the keys.
Singh also claimed not to know who the driver was at the time it was damaged.
He received medical treatment for his eye injuries and glass particles from the windscreen were found in his face.
Singh, of Clapton, east London, denied but was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving and a second count of dangerous driving for taking the vehicle home after the fatal collision.
He was convicted of perverting the course of justice following an earlier trial after he deliberately hid his phone and washed his clothes after the crash.
Ms Oakley said Singh smoked cannabis every day and grew it at his home.
She told the court: "He is also somebody who makes available to himself a ready supply of drugs, bearing in mind he grows it in his bathroom.
"He is somebody who habitually smokes cannabis as a daily routine and if he is behind the wheel of a car then he is dangerous."
In a witness statement Marcus Heneghan, the victim's son said: "[Frank] was never a victim. Not until that night in August when he was brutally and shockingly killed by the monster driving that car."
He said Mr Heneghan's grandson "wakes every few nights in terror".
He continued: "He has a reoccurring nightmare about his granddad's death.
"He sees the car in his mind. He sees granddad going under the wheels. Sometimes the car is coming for him. Five long years these nightmares have haunted him."
Mr Heneghan, a former soldier, was stationed at both Cathal Brugha Barracks in Dublin and later at Collins Barracks in Cork in the 1960s.
He also played the clarinet and was part of a band who performed for President John F Kennedy at Shannon Airport in 1963.
Defence barrister Clare Leslie told the court how Singh's upbringing led him to where he is today.
"Mr Singh has had a very difficult family history," she said.
Singh has lost three siblings in total and his father died when he was just 17.
"He considered his father to be a protector, his absence was felt very heavily."
Ms Leslie said Singh had received compensation from the Met after the policeman put him in a bin.
Singh and other youngsters were throwing conkers at people in the park.
Ms Leslie said Singh struggled at school following the incident and was referred to as 'The Bin Boy'.
He was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving, and doing acts intending to pervert the course of justice.
Singh, wearing a grey suit, showed no emotion as Judge Noel Lucas QC said Mr Heneghan's death was 'entirely avoidable.'
"You did nothing to help Mr Heneghan, your own self interest was in saving you own skin.
"You have told lie, upon lie, upon lie, in order to save your skin. So desperate to lie you have often forgotten the lies you have told in the past.
"Some of your lies were simply preposterous."
Judge Lucas noted at least 13 separate lies in total. "I take into account the extremely moving witness statements from members of the family.
"It is clear that Frank Heneghan was a good, hardworking and honest man.
"The consequences of Frank Heneghan's death has reverberated throughout the whole family."
Mr Heneghan's grandchild had taken to self-harming and contemplated suicide, the court had heard.
"There is no sentence that I can pass today that would in any meaningful manner reflect the loss of Frank Heneghan.
"You have shown not the least remorse nor the least empathy for the suffering of his family and friends."
Singh will also be disqualified from driving for eight years upon his release.
Catherine Gould, from the CPS, said: "Three friends were out in Tottenham enjoying each other's company, but their night ended tragically.
"John Heneghan, known affectionately as 'Frank' died just moments after getting off a bus on his way home.
"Anop Singh ran into him as he crossed the road and in attempting to leave the scene drove over Frank's body as he lay injured.
"His actions have caused immeasurable distress to Frank's loved ones who have been present throughout these proceedings and have witnessed for themselves the numerous lies Singh has told in a desperate attempt to save himself.
"Singh had claimed that he was not the driver involved in the hit and run.
"However, a thorough police investigation clearly showed Singh driving the VW Golf during the course of the evening to a pub and a club with friends.
"Careful analysis of telephone data, CCTV images and forensic work ensured that there was no doubt that Singh was the driver despite his claims that a mystery man had collected the car just before the collision occurred.
"I hope that this conviction provides some sense of justice to Frank's family and friends. Our thoughts remain with them at this time."
