Driver who hit knife attacker with car in Maida Vale pleads 'treat me as a witness, not a criminal'

ITV News Reporter Louise Scott explains what happened to the driver and why thousands of people are calling for him to not face criminal charges

A driver who ran down a knife attacker in west London as the assailant was stabbing a woman has urged police to reconsider his arrest, with his lawyer telling ITV News the driver acted "courageously".

The 26-year-old man, known as Abraham, was held on suspicion of murder after driving his car into into Leon McCaskre who was stabbing Yasmin Chkaifi to death in the street in Maida Vale on Monday morning.

Tasnime Akunjee, the lawyer acting on behalf of Abraham, has told ITV News his client was "brave" and acted "courageously," adding: "He believes he did what anyone else would have done in this situation".

"It was a momentary window [...] he then saw what was happening and it was very clearly an attack," Mr Akunjee told ITV News.

"At that point he had a very narrow opportunity to intervene, and he took it.

"He took it in defence of the woman who had been stabbed, that he saw, and he took it in defence of the members of the public who, themselves, were now the focus of this assailant."

'It's within the instinct of all human beings to try and remove the suffering of other humans' says driver's lawyer

In a statement released earlier on Thursday, Abraham said it was "never my intention to harm" and added he "just wanted to stop him [the knifeman] from hurting anybody further".

Ms Chkaifi, 43, died after former partner McCaskre attacked her in front of horrified witnesses in Chippenham Road, Maida Hill. McCaskre then died after being struck by Abraham’s blue Renault Clio.

The driver was arrested on suspicion of murder and has been released on bail until late February while the police investigation continues.

In the statement from his lawyers, Abraham continued: "I am a person of good character. I have never been arrested before in my life.

"This Monday past I was making my way to work and was waiting in traffic on Chippenham Road in West London at approximately 9am.

"I witnessed a man repeatedly stabbing a defenceless woman on the pavement a short distance in front of my car. Members of the public were attempting to intervene.

"The attacker was wielding a knife and threatening those brave citizens too.

"My instant thought was to protect the woman who had been stabbed and the public who were also being threatened.

"The vehicles ahead of me moved off which gave me the opportunity to intervene. I drove my vehicle towards the attacker in order to get him away from the woman he was attacking. I did not intend to harm the attacker, I only intended to protect those being attacked.

"My vehicle struck the attacker and he was taken under my car causing it to stall, I could not reverse my car to free him.

"I and other passers-by attempted to lift the car away from her attacker so we could provide the man with first aid."

The statement said he is deeply sorry and it was not his intention to harm the attacker, but to stop him from harming others.

It continued: "I understand that the police are doing their job and that my being arrested is not unusual.

"However, I do not see why I as the person who tried to assist in the defence of other human beings remain arrested and on bail under suspicion of murder.

"I have asked my solicitor to contact the Metropolitan Police to request that they consider de-arresting me and begin treating me as a witness to a tragic event rather than as a criminal as they currently are."

Thousands of people have signed a petition calling for the driver not to face criminal charges and have described him as a hero.

Members of Chkaifi’s family have also reportedly praised him for driving his car at McCaskre in an attempt to save her.

Scotland Yard said in a statement: "We are investigating the deaths of two people in this incident. Two families are bereaved and looking for answers. It is therefore essential that the investigation proceeds in an objective and professional manner.

"As with all investigations into violent deaths, we will gather all the available evidence and this can take time.

"Only when we are satisfied that we have all the facts can we fully understand the circumstances that led to the deaths and consider the most appropriate course of action."