News Story

A van driver who knocked down an iron gate which hit two people, then mounted a flower bed and fatally struck a university student who was sitting on a bench in central London has been jailed for eight years.

Aalia Mahomed, who was studying at King’s College London, died at the scene of the collision on the Strand on March 18 last year.

The 20-year-old, who was in her second year of a physics and philosophy degree, was described by her mother Samira Shafi in a statement in court as “the most amazing daughter”.

Two other people, Irem Yoldas and Yamin Belmessous, were injured in the incident.

Christopher Jackson, 27, of Southampton, appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday and was jailed for eight years after previously pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

The defendant looked down as 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, which will run concurrently.

Jackson was told he would serve two-thirds of his sentence before being released on licence.

He was also told he would be disqualified from driving for five years, which would be extended for the period he will be in custody, and that he must pass a compulsory retest.