Driver facing jail after deliberately ploughinG into Eid celebration

A man who deliberately rammed his Range Rover into a crowd celebrating the Muslim festival of Eid in east London is facing jail.

Akikul Islam, 25, was today found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm after seriously injuring two men in the attack on 7 July last year. Islam had arrived at the scene on Frimley Way, Mile End, in the company of another car just before 1am.

CCTV footage showed three men get out of the two cars and begin arguing with a group of around ten males who had been celebrating the end of Ramadan.

The altercation quickly escalated into a physical fight involving baseball bats and bottles.

The other car drove off but Islam – whose car was facing the other direction – remained in place as fighters began to surround him.

He then suddenly manoeuvred his vehicle away from the group before driving directly at them, running over a 24-year-old and smashing into a parked car.

Islam was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday, 30 June.

A number of other people have been arrested as part of the investigation and remain on bail, with enquiries ongoing.