Trucker who caused A13 crash in Rainham that killed Ilford student pleads guilty
Hassan Sheikh died from injuries he sustained in the crash on the A13 on July 1 2015. Picture: Iqra Sheikh - Credit: Archant
A trucker who caused a smash that killed a student after switching lanes without checking his mirrors pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving today.
A trucker who caused a smash that killed a student after switching lanes without checking his mirrors pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving on Thursday.
Joseph Smith, 55, was driving his HGV along the A13 towards London when he made the fatal manoeuvre that cost 21-year-old Hassan Sheikh, of Ilford, his life.
Smith moved into the middle lane without looking, causing the car behind him to swerve and knock Mr Sheikh’s vehicle into the central reservation near Ferry Lane, Rainham.
Emergency services arrived on the scene just before 2pm on 1 July last year, but the victim was pronounced dead less than an hour later at 2.42pm.
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The victim was only a few weeks away from finishing his business degree at the time of the accident.
Smith admitted one count of causing death by careless driving at the Old Bailey.
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Adjourning sentence until 3 August, Judge Mark Lucraft QC ordered him to stay in touch with the probation service and live at his home address in Kings Cross until that date.
He said: “The reason for these conditions is it’s very likely that your solicitors and the probation service will need to write to you to make contact with you about this case.
“You’ve pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and the court may well pass a custodial sentence.”
After Mr Sheikh’s funeral, his mother Rubina Mahmood said: “It’s very painful and things are very hard at the moment.
“He’s my son, he’s only 21 – he would have had his degree after three years of work – he worked so hard.
“We have no words, everyone is in shock.”
