THE partner of a man who suffered catastrophic life-changing injuries when he was mown down by a drink and drugs driver has condemned appeal court judges who halved the perpetrator’s prison sentence.

Father-of-two Luke Harris almost died when he was dragged for 30 yards under a car being driven by 19-year-old Istahar Ali, who was high on a cocktail of alcohol and cocaine.

Almost a year after the horrific incident, in Sackville Street, Bradford city centre, Mr Harris, 26, is still being cared for at a rehabilitation centre and will never return home to his family.

Ali had three times deliberately driven at people on the street after being ejected from The Village and Uber night club for not paying. He fled on foot, leaving Mr Harris, a store manager, trapped beneath his Seat car.

Ali, now 20, of Ryedale Way, Allerton, Bradford, pleaded guilty to causing Mr Harris grievous bodily harm with intent, causing actual bodily harm to a club doorman and dangerous driving.

Sentencing him last December to 11 years youth custody, with a four-year extended licence period, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC said: “You could not have caused more serious harm, other than murdering that man, which you nearly did.

“You were motivated by nastiness, anger and arrogance.”

Judge Durham Hall ruled that Ali posed a significant risk to the public of causing serious harm, adding: “I can’t gamble with you and the public in view of the enormity of your actions.”

He said Ali had “swaggered” out of court after being sentenced.

But three judges at the Court of Appeal in London have now allowed an appeal by Ali against his sentence. His barrister said Ali, who had previous convictions for battery, was not considered dangerous in reports by a probation officer and a psychiatrist. He will now only serve five-and-a-half years before qualifying for automatic release.

Jenny Taylor, Mr Harris’s partner and mother of his two young sons, Harry, four, and two-year-old Max, said: “Where is the justice?

“Luke is not the same person. He has no life. Ali killed the person he was. He’ll never be able to go back to work. The boys have lost their dad. This is him for the rest of his life.

“I am absolutely disgusted at the decision. When you look at the CCTV, it was horrific. Ali could have killed a number of people. The only reason he stopped the car was that Luke’s body had prevented the wheels from turning.”

Ms Taylor told how Mr Harris was connected to 15 machines after being taken to Leeds General Infirmary.

His skull was fractured in several places and he had a large bleed on the brain. He also had severe chest injuries and all the skin had been sliced from his back by being dragged down the road.

“We were told on numerous occasions to expect the worst. They said he would either pass away or he’d never be the same person again. He was in intensive care for three weeks and then went to high dependency.

“He was under so much sedation it took him a week to open his eyes. He was literally like a baby, he could not do anything for himself. He had no idea who we were. Areas of his brain were damaged. He didn’t know what we were saying. They didn’t know if he could hear.

“When he eventually came home it was a complete nightmare. He suffered a significant brain injury and he was a completely different person. He was aggressive. He can’t help it, it’s what the injury has done to him.

“He is in a rehabilitation home because he needs to be somewhere that deals with brain injuries.

“He’ll never be able to come home. The children are scared of him. He can’t cope. It’s destroyed him. He was killed that day.”

She added: “Every day we suffer a life sentence and we always will. We’ll never move on and get on with our lives. It is unjust that he will be able to. He has caused carnage and devastation to our lives.”

Mr Harris is now being represented by law firm Irwin Mitchell in a civil claim for compensation for his injuries.

The claim is in its early stages and court proceedings have not yet been issued, but the company said the value of the claim would be substantial.

Martha Sweet, an expert serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: “Obviously Luke and Jenny are extremely disappointed with the decision to reduce this sentence and feel like it has added insult to injury for them.

“They are still struggling to come to terms with the injuries Luke suffered and the long-term impact that has had on his life and the lives of their family. We are representing them in a civil claim in a bid to secure Luke the funds he now requires to access the rehabilitation, support and therapies that will help him in his long road to recovery and meet his needs in the future.

“Luke and Jenny know only too well the long-term impact drink and drug driving can have and we are supporting National Road Victim Month this month in the hope that similar incidents may be avoided in the future.”

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