Uber driver, 32, who caused the death of a British man, 30, after he opened the cab's door into a path of an oncoming bus escapes jail
- An Uber driver who caused the death of one of his passengers has escaped jail
- Nazrul Islam, 32, has been found guilty of negligent driving occasioning death
- The charges were in relation to the death of Englishman Samuel Thomas in 2017
- Mr Thomas fell under a bus while trying to get out of the car and Islam drove off
- Islam was convicted but avoided jail with a 10-month intensive corrections order
An Uber driver who accelerated while a passenger was getting out at a Sydney intersection, causing him to fall and be hit by a bus, has avoided a prison sentence.
Nazrul Islam, 32, was found guilty by magistrate Mary Ryan in late 2018 of negligent driving occasioning the death of Englishman Samuel Thomas in June 2017.
The 30-year-old was 'half-in and half-out' of the car when he was caught off balance by Islam driving off after the traffic lights changed to green.
Nazrul Islam, 32, (pictured) was found guilty by magistrate Mary Ryan in late 2018 of negligent driving occasioning the death of Englishman Samuel Thomas in June 2017
Thomas (pictured) was struck at the intersection of Elizabeth and Bathurst streets in Sydney's CBD at 3am on June 17, 2017
Mr Thomas fell under an adjacent bus and was struck at the intersection of Elizabeth and Bathurst streets about 3am.
In Downing Centre Local Court on Friday, Ms Ryan convicted Islam and placed him on a 10-month corrections order involving at least 200 hours of community service.
Islam previously denied responsibility for Mr Thomas' death, but in Downing Centre Local Court last November, Ms Ryan found he 'did not keep a proper lookout'.
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Mr Thomas, from Hertfordshire, had been drinking at a birthday party in Strathfield before catching the Uber with friends Stephen Ronning and Greg Hensman.
Magistrate Ryan found Islam (pictured right) worked for 21 hours before the incident and despite indicating he had seven hours of sleep, it was not continuous rest
Previously the court had had heard how the driver had worked for 21 hours before the incident and despite indicating he had seven hours of sleep, it was not continuous rest.
Islam previously told The Sydney Morning Herald through an interpreter: 'I was ready to drive Friday night as long as possible because it would be a busy night.'
Mr Thomas (pictured left and stock image right) had been drinking at a party in Strathfield and caught the Uber towards Pitt Street with friends Stephen Ronning and Greg Hensman
Islam, who arrived from Bangladesh in early 2013 but only became an Uber driver three weeks before the incident, said he couldn't recall the 'exact destination' the three men had requested but 'my GPS was advising me still four to five minutes to go'.
Outside court last November, the victim's sister, Hannah Thomas, told reporters her brother was 'sweet and funny' and 'this was his dream' to live in Australia.
'We love him and miss him and we just hope today is some closure for us and for him,' she said.
Hannah Thomas, sister of Samuel Thomas (centre) and Stephen Ronning, a friend of Samuel Thomas (right) leave the Downing Centre Court in Sydney
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