Fuel thief jailed as second man denies hit and run

A man who stole fuel during an incident that left a petrol station worker with life-threatening injuries has been jailed.

Srisankar Subramanian, 23, was hit by one car at an Esso garage in Normanton on 20 October, while another one drove away.

Aderoju Adeniran, 31, pleaded guilty to stealing fuel and was sentenced to four months at Leeds Crown Court.

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Taghan Bal is due to stand trial later this year charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The court heard Adeniran, of Central Street, Islington, London, had driven to the garage at about 2.20 GMT.

CCTV footage showed his car arriving on the forecourt at the same time as a second vehicle.

Prosecutor David Hall said both Adeniran and the driver of the other car had both then filled up with more than £40 of petrol before attempting to drive away.

He said Mr Subramanian had run out of the kiosk brandishing a broom to try and stop the vehicles leaving.

He told the court that as Adeniran reversed and drove away the other vehicle had hit Mr Subramanian before leaving the scene.

The court heard Mr Subramanian had been left seriously brain damaged as a result of the injuries he suffered.

Passing sentence, Judge Richard Mansell KC made it clear that Adeniran - who pleaded guilty to making off without payment and displaying a false number plate - was not responsible for the injuries caused to Mr Subramanian.

Defence lawyer, Eleanor Gwilym, said Adeniran was "depressed" by the whole incident and rarely saw his family, who he knew were "suffering from his choices".

The court was told Adeniran had been recalled to prison following his arrest, having previously been jailed in 2012 for fatally stabbing a man and wounding two others in Cambridge.

Mr Bal, who is due to stand trial at Leeds Crown Court on 6 May, charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent also denies charges of dangerous driving, perverting the course of justice, making off without payment and displaying a false number plate.

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