A man has admitted killing a King’s College London student after hitting her with the van he was driving on the university’s central London campus. Christopher Jackson, 27, appeared in the dock at the Old Bailey on Monday to plead guilty to causing Aalia Mahomed’s death by dangerous driving on 18 March last year.
The van he was driving hit a metal gate, knocking it off its hinges, before colliding with the bench where the 20-year-old, who was in her second year of a physics and philosophy degree, was sitting, the court previously heard.Jackson then drove the vehicle forwards, causing it to mount a flower bed. The vehicle became briefly airborne before colliding with Ms Mahomed, who was sitting on a bench on the other side of the flower bed, facing away from the vehicle. Jackson continued before coming to a stop close to the wall of St Mary-Le-Strand church.Jackson also pleaded guilty to two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving after two other KCL students, Irem Yoldas and Yamin Belmessous, were hurt in the incident.
Image:
Christopher Jackson admitted causing death by dangerous driving. Pic: Met Police
Wearing a black shirt, he stood in the dock with his head bowed as he entered his pleas, then sat looking at the floor for the rest of the short hearing.Jackson, who is from Southampton, was remanded in custody ahead of a sentencing hearing on 6 March ahead of the anniversary of the incident.
Judge Philip Katz KC said: “It is inevitably going to be a substantial custodial sentence.”Jessica Clarke, defending, told the court Jackson has three young children with his fiance and has been trying to “earn as much money” as he can for his family before the sentencing.
Read more from Jattvibe:’Suffolk strangler’ Steve Wright pleads guilty to 1999 teen murderBoy, 16, dies after being stabbed in Chippenham”Unlike many cases of death by dangerous driving which involve excessive speed, alcohol and drugs, this involves none of that. It was a tragic accident,” she said.
Image:
The scene at King’s College London Strand Campus. Pic: PA
Image:
Tributes left for Aalia Mahomed. Pic: PA
In a previous statement, Ms Mahomed’s family described her as “a bright, kind and beautiful soul, who brought joy and laughter to everyone”.”She was a ray of sunshine in our lives, and will be deeply missed by all her family and friends,” they said.”Her light will always live on in our memories and her smile will be our strength as we get through this difficult time.”
Speaking outside court after the hearing, the Mahomeds’ lawyer Trevor Sterling, a senior partner at Moore Barlow, told Jattvibe it was a day of “mixed emotions”.”They have been on a horrendous journey but today enables them at least to find at least some closure because of the guilty plea,” he said.”They wish this had never happened. It was one of the worst if not the worst days of their lives.”They have no feeling towards him (Jackson), they just hope there’s a level of accountability.”
He said the family now wanted to focus on Ms Mahomed’s legacy and had set up a charity in her name to help poorer children in Malawi.”It would’ve made Aalia very, very proud and for the family that’s the most important they will be able to get out of this process,” he added.Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Superintendent Donna Smith said: “Our thoughts remain with Aalia’s friends and family at this time.”We can only imagine the pain they are suffering and we know nothing can undo what’s happened. We hope today’s guilty plea brings them a small measure of comfort.”I want to thank our officers for their dedication and professionalism in helping to achieve justice. We would also like to thank the members of the public who came to Aalia’s aid, and to all of those who assisted us with our investigation.”
