A van driver who killed a university student and seriously injured two other people has been jailed for eight years. Christopher Jackson, 27, ploughed through a set of iron gates leading to the pedestrian zone of The Strand in central London on March 18 last year.
The heavy gates struck a 28-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man, leaving both with severe and life-changing injuries. Jackson continued accelerating, hitting a flower bed and briefly going airborne before smashing into Kings College London student Aalia Mahomed. The 20-year-old, who was in her second year of a physics and philosophy degree, was sitting on a bench with her back to the van when it hit her. She died at the scene.
Her mother Samira Shafi paid tribute in a statement read at the Old Bailey, saying she was 'the most amazing daughter'. Ms Shafi became emotional as she read a statement to the court, describing the 'unbearable void' left behind. A statement from Ms Mahomed's father Shameer Mahomed was read by his sister, saying 'she was always happy, never said anything bad about anybody'.
The police investigation revealed no faults with the van. Forensic collision investigators established that one of the main causes was unintended acceleration, made worse by Jackson's panic. Jackson had never driven an electric vehicle before and mistook the accelerator for the brake.
Jackson pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Judge Philip Katz KC jailed him for eight years for causing death by dangerous driving, and three years each for the two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, to run concurrently. Jackson will serve two-thirds of his sentence before being released on licence.
