Christopher Jackson, 27, of Southampton, has been jailed for knocking down and killing 20-year-old university student Aalia Mahomed on the Strand, in central London
A van driver who knocked down an iron gate which hit two people, then mounted a flower bed and fatally struck a student sitting on a bench has been jailed.
Aalia Mahomed, who was studying at King’s College London, died at the scene of the collision on the Strand, in London, on March 18 last year. The 20-year-old, who was in her second year of a physics and philosophy degree, was described by her mother Samira Shafi in a statement in court as “the most amazing daughter”.
Two other people, Irem Yoldas and Yamin Belmessous, were injured in the incident.
Christopher Jackson, 27, of Southampton, appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday and was jailed for eight years after previously pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
That morning, Jackson was instructed for work to collect two electric vehicles from Bush House in Aldwych, according to the Metropolitan Police.
After leaving Bush House’s courtyard, the defendant drove at speed towards iron gates that led to the pedestrian zone of the Strand. Jackson crashed into the gate which fell and hit a 28-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man who suffered life changing injuries.
He then drove forward onto a flower bed, before colliding with Ms Mahomed who was sitting on a bench on the other side of the greenery facing away from the vehicle. Jackson continued before stopping close to the wall of St Mary le Strand church.
Ms Mahomed was catastrophically injured and declared dead at the scene, Fiona Robertson, prosecuting, said on Friday.
A friend, who was with Ms Mahomed at the time, confronted the driver, who said he “had no control” and the van “just took off”, the court heard. The incident lasted approximately six seconds, Ms Robertson said.
Jackson had never driven an electric vehicle before, and did not start to drive immediately, Judge Philip Katz KC said. The van was parked behind another vehicle, which meant he had to reverse, but the evidence suggests he did not reverse, and intended to put the vehicle into reverse gear but put it into drive instead, the judge added.
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