Van Driver Jailed After Fatal Collision on London Campus

A 27-year-old man from Southampton, Christopher Jackson, has been sentenced to eight years in prison following a van crash that killed a 20-year-old physics and philosophy student near King’s College London’s campus.

Prosecutors stated Jackson admitted to causing the death of Aalia Mahomed through dangerous driving on 18 March last year. The incident occurred near the Strand, where Mahomed was sitting on a bench close to the university grounds.

The court was informed that Jackson was responsible for retrieving a van from Bush House in Aldwych but lacked prior experience with electric vehicles. His van collided with gates, lifted over a flower bed, and briefly left the ground before striking Mahomed.

After the collision, the van came to rest near the wall of St Mary-Le-Strand church. The entire event unfolded in approximately six seconds. Judge Philip Katz KC noted that Jackson had “no experience of driving vans, let alone electric vans” and emphasized the “significant level of irresponsibility” involved.

“In my judgment, any careful and competent driver would ensure they can operate the vehicle safely before setting off,” the judge remarked during sentencing.

Jackson had previously pleaded guilty to two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, resulting in life-altering harm to two other KCL students. However, the judge disagreed with the defense’s claim that the crash was a “tragic accident” without excessive speed or intoxication.

“Our beautiful Aalia had her entire life ahead of her, cut short at 20 with no warning or goodbyes,” said Samira Shafi, Mahomed’s mother. “The loss feels immeasurable to our family.”

The Metropolitan Police confirmed the van had no mechanical issues, attributing the crash to “unintended acceleration compounded by Jackson’s panic.” During questioning, Jackson was found slumped forward and provided no explanation for the incident.

The judge described Jackson’s remorse as “immediate and genuine,” leading to concurrent three-year sentences for the two injury charges. He will serve two-thirds of his time before being released on licence and must pass a retest to regain driving privileges.