A man has appeared in court charged with causing the death of a university student who was hit by a van in central London. Aalia Mahomed, 20, a second-year physics and philosophy student at King's College London, died at the scene on the Strand on March 18 last year.
Christopher Jackson, 27, of Walton Road, Southampton, appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Monday charged with causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. The court heard that the van allegedly collided with a metal gate, knocking it off its hinges, before hitting the bench where Ms Mahomed was sitting.
Two other people, a man and a woman in their 20s, were seriously injured in the collision. Jackson, who wore a black shirt and black trousers, spoke only to confirm his identity and was not asked to enter a plea. He was released on conditional bail and is due to appear at the Old Bailey on February 2.
Ms Mahomed, from Mitcham, was described by her family as a “bright, kind and beautiful soul”. Hundreds of people attended a vigil after her death, and a memorial plaque was unveiled in her honour, with her family calling for justice.
