Escaped prisoner killed man while high on 'skunk' cannabis

A cyclist looking forward to the birth of his second child was run down and killed by an escaped prisoner in a stolen van.

Cobbler Naqibullah Aman, 25, died instantly when he was hit at 60mph by Malachi Adam-Smith, 20, who had been smoking skunk cannabis. He hit several vehicles and nearly knocked down a group of children before the fatal crash.

Mr Aman, an Afghan refugee living in Hounslow, was cycling home from work when the van ploughed into him from behind in the cycle lane of the A4 in Brentford.

The dead man's family told the Old Bailey in a statement that he had been due to become a father again.

Adam-Smith, of Islington, absconded from police at a mental health facility last April after being arrested for an assault on his girlfriend.

Hours later, he stole the van in Brixton and began driving while intoxicated.

The court heard how Adam-Smith was responsible for more than a dozen collisions and narrowly missed children and bus passengers as he mounted the pavement at more than 40mph.

He then shunted a Renault into a Mercedes before running down Mr Aman.

Despite the fatal collision, Adam-Smith did not stop, dragging the bike under his van. He collided with two more cars as police gave chase. He eventually got stuck in traffic, but police had to break the van's windows after he refused to get out.

Adam-Smith denied murder but admitted manslaughter due to diminished responsibility because of psychosis caused by cannabis.

Judge Steven Kramer QC adjourned sentencing for psychiatric reports but he warned Adam-Smith: "The likelihood is that you will be facing substantial imprisonment."

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