Teen granted parole after mowing down refugee taxi driver

Taxi driver and refugee Mathivathanan Sathasivam thought he and his family would be safe in Tasmania. But he was brutally mowed down by a Huon Valley teen who refused to pay a fare.

• Fleeing fare dodger ‘ruined’ taxi driver’s life by running him down with a car
• Teen who carjacked cabbie believed cops wanted to kill him

A HUON Valley youth who refused to pay an $80 taxi fare – instead driving into the cabbie, dragging him under the vehicle and breaking his legs – has been granted parole after just six months in jail.

The horror incident unfolded when Bailey John Purdon, then 19, refused to pay his friend’s cab fare at Geeveston and instead mowed down Sri Lankan refugee and taxi driver Mathivathanan Sathasivam.

Mr Sathasivam landed on Purdon’s bonnet and held on to the windscreen wipers as the youth drove about 50km/h, swerving side-to-side before braking suddenly and dragging his victim under the car.

Mr Sathasivam, who thought he and his family “would be safe in Tasmania” – settling in the state 10 years ago after seeing his father executed and his mother jailed in his home country – has not returned to taxi driving.

It took him four months to walk without crutches after the incident, and said the crime “ruined his life”.

In December last year, Purdon was handed a two-year prison sentence – with one year suspended – after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm by dangerous driving.

Taxi driver Sathasivam Mathivathanan who was mowed down by a customer who refused to pay their fare. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

But he was also given a non-parole period of six months, which expired on June 5 this year.

In its decision released on Thursday, the Parole Board of Tasmania said Purdon was regretful of his actions and concerned for Mr Sathasivam’s welfare, releasing him from prison on June 8.

“At the time of his behaviour the applicant was neither under the influence of alcohol or drugs and the behaviour has been considered as a panicked response to the circumstances in which the applicant suddenly found himself,” the board said in its decision.

“Nonetheless it was a most extreme, unwarranted and inappropriate response to those circumstances.”

The board said Purdon had some mental health issues that may have contributed to the panic, that he’d achieved minimum security classification while in jail, and that he had few “pro-criminal risk factors”.

“He does not engage with a pro-criminal cohort but maintains pro-social friendships and pursuits,” it said.

The board also said it was likely the youth would likely be employed in the fishing industry following his release.

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