Four men jailed over taxi-driver murder
Mohammad Parvaiz was murdered in a racially-motivated attack
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Tuesday, 20, Feb 2007 08:35
Four men were jailed today for the racially-aggravated murder of an Asian taxi driver.
Father-of-three Mohammad Parvaiz, 41, was ambushed and beaten to death as he responded to a fare in Huddersfield in July last year.
Two of his murderers were handed life sentences; Christopher Murphy, 19, must serve a minimum of 25 years in jail and Michael Hand, 19, must serve at least 21 years.
Graeme Slavin, 18, and Steven Utley, 17, were also convicted of murder but were handed 17 years in prison for the 'lesser part' they played in Mr Parvaiz's death.
Judge Dame Heather Steel said at Leeds crown court that the murder was a joint attack in which they all took part.
"Mr Parvaiz sustained a serious head wound from which he was bleeding profusely when he was attacked from the driver's side and dragged out to be kicked and beaten to death," she said.
"Violence on this scale is savage beyond belief. It is not difficult to imagine the terror that Mr Parvaiz must have experienced as he lay dying on the road."