A delivery rider who knocked down a pedestrian in Bath, leaving her with catastrophic injuries, collapsed in the dock after hearing a statement read out in court by the victim’s daughter.
Yasir Ali, who was at the city’s magistrates’ court on Wednesday 4th February for sentencing, was taken to hospital and proceedings were halted.
The 20-year-old had covered his face and sobbed as he listened to the victim impact statement through a Pashto interpreter who was appearing via video link.
Ali, of Wells Road in Knowle, Bristol, had admitted at a court appearance in December that he caused serious injury by careless driving on 13th February 2025.
The case had been adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared by the Probation Service.
At the sentencing hearing last Wednesday, magistrates were shown CCTV footage of the collision at Margaret’s Hill in Walcot.
A collision investigation consultant calculated that Ali had been travelling at 26mph in the 20mph zone on a Honda motorcycle at the time.
The pedestrian, a mother-of-three, was knocked unconscious and suffered severe injuries, including to her head and spine. She underwent emergency brain surgery and a year on remains in the Frenchay Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre in Bristol.
Her daughter, supported by other family members in the public gallery, told the court that her mum had been active and very fit before the collision and “in the prime of life”.
She had lived in Bath for 37 years and loved meeting up with friends, spending time with her family and helping people. “She is now no longer the same person”, her daughter said.
When first admitted to hospital, the 62-year-old needed a tracheostomy to help her breathe, but that has now been removed. She is sustained by a feeding tube into her stomach.
She has very little movement in any of her limbs and has to be hoisted into a wheelchair as she can no longer move independently. She suffers from seizures. Her daughter told the court: “I am sure she is in terrible pain.”
Her mother is not currently well enough to leave hospital, and it is unlikely she will be able to return to her home.
Her quality of life is said to be “extremely low” and her daughter spoke of the sadness that she will not be able to see her children’s life milestones.
Her mum had worked hard all her life and wouldn’t now be able to fully enjoy her retired life; her parents had planned to travel, and her mother had been looking forward to her first cruise in May 2025.
The family are said to be doing all they can to help her emerge from her state and members visit twice daily: “Mum is non-verbal and we have to be her advocates,” her daughter said.
She added: “We do not know what the future holds. It seems Mum will never return to the family home and will need adapted accommodation when she is ready to leave hospital.”
Yasir Ali’s rescheduled sentencing will take place at the court on 8th April.
The Bath Echo has not named the victim at the request of her family.
