Bethnal Green man jailed for killing driver in Rainham

A RECKLESS and dangerous drive along the A13 – at speeds estimated to be over 100mph – ended in a man dying. Now it has led to a man from Bethnal Green going to jail.

Mohammed Ali, 21, of Barnet Grove, E2 had already pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by driving a vehicle whilst uninsured. He admitted the offence at a hearing at Woolwich Crown Court on 14th July. He was sentenced a month later, at the same court, to five years and seven months in prison. He was also disqualified from driving for 57 and a half months.

Ali killed Kenneth Berry, 54, from Woolwich. Mr Berry had been driving his Vauxhall Astra along the A13, eastbound, between Ferry Lane and New Roundabout, Rainham. He pulled over onto the hard shoulder to clear some debris from his vehicle. Mr Berry got out of his vehicle – just as Ali approached the scene.

Ali was driving a BMW. He had been driving recklessly, and after the incident other drivers came forward to say that they had seen him moving between lanes and going past cars on the left and right – and driving at speeds they estimated as over 100mph. Perhaps it was inevitable that he lost control of the vehicle. Sadly, this happened just as he approached Mr Berry’s parked car.

Ali collided with Mr Berry and his car. Mr Berry was seriously injured and pronounced dead at the scene.

Ali was arrested, together with an 18 year old passenger in his vehicle, who was later released without charge. Ali was then found to have been driving without insurance.

Detective Inspector Jose-Paulo Qureshi said, “Firstly I would like to thank the many witnesses who have assisted in this enquiry. It was as a result of their information that we were able to build up a picture of Ali’s dangerous driving. Ali’s speed and dangerous manoeuvring that morning led directly to Mr Berry’s death. This is a busy road and all the people using it that day were put at risk. Mr Berry has paid for Ali’s stupidity with his life, I am glad Ali will now face the consequences.”

DI Qureshi touched on an issue which has long been a matter of public debate. If Ali had gone out that morning with a weapon, intending to attack someone who had then died, he could have been charged with murder or manslaughter. The weapon he went out with was a car, and the way he drove the car made it all the more likely that he would kill – but he was charged with causing death by dangerous driving. We have to find a way of educating young people about the dangers of reckless driving – and perhaps a change in the sentence attaching to the crimes of causing death by dangerous driving is needed to signal what a dangerous crime it is.

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