Van driver jailed over crash that killed London student

Описание: A van driver who crashed into gates near a London university campus and killed a student was jailed for eight years.

Christopher Jackson, 27, from Southampton, admitted causing Aalia Mahomed's death by dangerous driving.

The 20-year-old student - who was in her second year of a physics and philosophy degree - had been sitting on a bench close to King's College London's campus in the Strand.

Jackson was tasked with picking up a van from Bush House, in Aldwych, but he had never driven an electric vehicle before.

His van collided with gates near the campus in The Strand, mounted a flower bed, becoming briefly airborne, before hitting Ms Mahomed who was sitting on a bench.

It then came to a stop close to the wall of St Mary-Le-Strand church. The Old Bailey heard that the incident lasted about six seconds.

Jackson also pleaded guilty to two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving after two other KCL students, Irem Yoldas and Yamin Belmessous - both in their 20s - suffered life-changing injuries after being hit by the gate.

During sentencing, Judge Philip Katz KC, said Jackson had "no experience of driving vans, let alone electric vans", adding there was a "significant level of irresponsibility in this case".

"It is accepted that you were pressing or pumping on the accelerator, thinking it was the brake," he explained.

Judge Katz KC, comparing a driver who might rent a hire car, said: "In my judgement, any careful and competent driver will satisfy themselves that they can drive the car safely before they set off."

The judge's sentencing remarks can be read in full at: https://www.judiciary.uk/judgments/r-...

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