A DRUG-driver, who knocked down and killed a father of four, has had his sentence increased following intervention by the Solicitor General, Rt Hon Michael Ellis QC MP.

Rizwan Ali, 26, fraudulently hired a Range Rover using his brother’s driving licence on August 17, 2018. The following day he consumed cannabis and cocaine at a friend’s wedding and later got in the Range Rover to drive home.

Ali drove through Bolton at speeds in excess of 60mph, where the speed limit was 30mph and failed to see Colin Olawumi, 65, crossing Topp Way.

Ali, of Russell Street, Bolton, braked and tried to swerve but he could not avoid hitting the care worker, who died at the scene.

He was found to be more than seven times over the legal limit of benzoylecgonine, a chemical formed in the breakdown of cocaine.

Eight days later a picture of Ali posing with a high-performance car was shared on Instagram.

Another image on Ali’s Instagram account showed him with a Lamborghini Aventador and was captioned ‘flyinggggg!’ followed by a number of racing car emojis.

Ali continued to fight the case until the very last moment, traumatising Mr Olawumi’s family for 18 months. He only pleaded guilty to fraud in January and then waited until the day the jury was to be sworn in for a trial on March 2 this year to plead guilty to the rest of the charges.

In a victim impact statement read out in court, Mr Olawumi’s daughters said they passed the incident on Topp Way while returning home from a birthday celebration elsewhere in Bolton without knowing it was their father lying dead in the road.

Ali was sentenced to three years and five months’ imprisonment on June 30, 2020, at Bolton Crown Court, but following a referral to the Court of Appeal by the Solicitor General, the sentence was found to be unduly lenient this week and has now been increased to five years’ imprisonment.

After the hearing at the Court of Appeal, the Solicitor General, Rt Hon Michael Ellis QC MP, said: “Ali killed an innocent victim through his dangerous driving and deserves a longer sentence.

“I am glad the Court of Appeal has increased his sentence today and I hope this gives some closure to the victim’s family.”