Two men have been jailed for life after brutally murdering Manchester taxi driver Ali Asghar after he objected to one of them eating in his car.
Connor McPartland, 20, and Martin Treacy, 18, will serve a minimum of 14-and-a-half years and a minimum of 13-and-a-half years respectively.
Asghar, 39, had picked up the friends in Oldham town centre before taking them to Rochdale where they planned to meet some girls and then head to a Halloween party.
Treacy started eating a chicken burger and chips in Mr Asghar’s new Mercedes and he pulled over after he refused to stop eating. Then Asghar was brutally attacked by the pair, being punched and kicked to the head.
He was then pushed over and hit his head on the wheel of his own car, and died two weeks later.
“Ali Asghar was 39-years-old when he had the misfortune to meet you two, a pair of drunken and entitled louts,” Judge Alan Conrad QC told the killers.
“He was a hardworking and decent man, carrying out a valuable public service to provide for his family. By your drunken violence over the period of a few minutes you have ruined your lives, but that is as nothing in comparison with the damage you have done to others by your savage and brutal behaviour.”
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Asghar had jobs delivering leaflets and a stint in McDonald’s before finding work as a taxi driver. His brother said he worked “insane” hours, often only sleeping for two hours in a day, to work to support himself and send money to his family in Pakistan.
The judge said he accepted that the pair had not intended to kill Asghar, and that the attack was not premeditated. He also took their age into account when passing sentence.
He also praised another taxi driver who tried to intervene, and gave him a £500 reward for his public spirited actions.
Senior Investigating Officer Phil Reade, of GMPs Public Protection and Serious Crime Division, said: “The senseless actions of Treacy and McPartland that morning were utterly despicable and led to a family losing a much loved son and brother.
“These two men are clearly violent individuals and I am relieved that they are now off our streets and have time to think about their actions and the hurt and sorrow they have caused. The judge today highly commended the taxi driver for his actions in attempting to save Ali’s life and I’d also like to thank him for his bravery.”
