A van driver has been jailed for eight years after crashing into gates near a London university campus and killing a student.
Christopher Jackson, 27, from Southampton, previously admitted causing Aalia Mahomed’s death by dangerous driving on 18 March last year.
The Old Bailey was told 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 (KCL) campus on The Strand.
Aalia Mahomed. Pic: Metropolitan Police/PA
Police said Jackson had been picking up two electric vehicles from Bush House, in Aldwych, before driving at speed and hitting gates near the campus on The Strand.
The van 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.
In February, 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.
Jackson’s van crashed through these gates onto a pedestrianised area of The Strand. File pic: PA
File pic: PA
Samira Shafi, Aalia’s mother, said in a statement: “When you lose a child, you don’t just lose a presence of someone in your life, you lose a part of yourself.
“Our beautiful Aalia had her whole life ahead of her, cut so short at the age of 20 with no warning and no goodbyes… the loss on the wider family is also immense.”
Jessica Clarke, defending, told the court the case did not involve “excessive speed, alcohol and drugs” but was a “tragic accident”.
The Metropolitan Police said forensic investigators determined the van had no mechanical defects and one of the main causes of the crash was “unintended acceleration, made worse by Jackson’s panic”.
Jackson was seen slumped forward and offered “no comment” when interviewed by officers about the crash.
Jackson slumped forward and offered ‘no comment’ when interviewed by police. Pic: Met Police
Judge Philip Katz KC had warned Jackson to expect “a substantial custodial sentence”.
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