A provisional trial date has been set for a driver accused of killing two girls when her 4x4 crashed into a primary school in Wimbledon. Claire Freemantle, 49, faces two charges of causing death by dangerous driving and seven counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving following the incident at The Study Prep school in July 2023.
Court Appearance and Charges
Ms Freemantle, of Edge Hill, Wimbledon, appeared at the Old Bailey on Tuesday and spoke only to confirm her identity. She was not asked to enter any pleas. Judge Mark Lucraft KC set a provisional trial date of September 6, 2027.
She is accused of killing Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau, both pupils at the school, as well as causing serious injury to Nuria’s mother Smera Chohan and another mother, Tamsyn Van De Vyver. A third mother and her seven-month-old baby were also injured, along with two eight-year-old girls and a seven-year-old girl.
Background of the Case
After the charges were announced, Ms Freemantle’s lawyers indicated she would plead not guilty. She was released on unconditional bail until a further hearing on November 23.
Criminal proceedings against Ms Freemantle were initially dropped in June 2024 after an investigation. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said she had suffered an undiagnosed epileptic seizure and would face no criminal charges. However, concerns raised by the girls’ families led to the Metropolitan Police reopening its enquiries into the crash in October 2024.
Police Apology and Investigation
The Met Police apologised for the way it initially dealt with the incident and the “impact on those affected”, adding it would be “fundamentally resetting how the Met investigates fatal and serious collisions”. In August 2024, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) launched a probe into the handling of the initial inquiry, with eleven officers now under investigation.
