Grinning biker who mowed down and killed boy on a pedestrian crossing jailed for 12 years | UK | News | EUROtoday

A grinning biker who mowed down and killed an eight-year-old boy on a pedestrian crossing has been jailed for 12 years.

Unlicensed and uninsured Nicholas Hopkins, 20, ploughed into little Mustafa Ahmed as he crossed the highway in Plumstead, south east London, together with his dad and 10-year-old brother.

Mustafa died following the crash on February 19 final yr whereas his brother Ahmed and father Mohammed each suffered “life changing” accidents.

CCTV footage of the horrific incident performed at Inner London Crown Court confirmed Hopkins dashing previous stationary vehicles and thru a set of crimson visitors lights.

He then crashed into the household – catapulting all three of them into the air. The power of the affect meant that Mustafa was flung down the highway and beneath a automobile. Experts calculated Hopkins was driving at practically 60mph, regardless of the pace restrict for the highway being solely 30mph.

Hopkins pleaded responsible in November to inflicting dying by harmful driving, inflicting severe harm by harmful driving, inflicting dying while uninsured, and inflicting dying while unlicensed.

Mustafa’s aunt Sara choked again tears as she learn a sufferer affect assertion on the sentencing listening to [on Friday February 2].

She mentioned: “Mustafa was an amazing little boy. He was like a son I never birthed. He was cheerful and helpful. He was everyone’s best friend. Him being snatched from our life was unlike any pain I have ever experienced.

“We as a family are traumatised and cannot live a normal life. Every time we see a motorbike we are reminded of the accident.

“No parent should have to bury their child. Our current reality is adjusting to this new life that we never wanted or asked for. We are grateful for the eight years we spent with Mustafa. We will tell our future generations stories about him. He is in heaven where he belongs, as he was too good for this cruel world.”

Other family members, together with Mustafa’s mom, cried because the assertion was learn out. Prosecutor Louise Oakley informed Inner London Crown Court that the hurt on this case “is of the utmost seriousness because Mustafa lost his life.”

She additionally detailed the intensive accidents sustained by Mustafa’s father Mohammed and brother Ahmed, who’re struggling to at the present time.

She mentioned: “Mohammed sustained several serious injuries, including internal bleeding. He also suffered partial collapses to his left lung and had to be incubated (put into a coma). His consciousness remained low until March, meaning he did not find out that his youngest son had been killed until some while after the incident.”

Ms Oakley added that Mohammed has undergone a number of surgical procedures – with one other scheduled quickly – and has misplaced his job as a bus driver on account of his accidents.

Discussing Ahmed, she continued: “Ahmed sustained head, neck, abdominal, including liver and spleen injuries, and open wounds to his legs. He suffered from significant injuries and issues with his vision. He also suffered bowel issues as a result of his injuries and had to be introduced to a soft diet.

“He was not discharged from hospital until March 15. He is still receiving treatment, as an outpatient, but still under the care of the paediatric team. Nowadays, flashbacks of the incident mean he is not able to remain at school throughout the day. I present that both Mohammed and Ahmed’s injuries are therefore life changing.”

Hopkins, who appeared by way of video hyperlink from Thameside Prison, primarily stared on the flooring as the main points of the incident had been learn out.

The 20-year-old, who had curly ginger hair and was sporting glasses, solely confirmed emotion when Ms Oakley detailed the opposite offences he was being sentenced for.

They had been assault occasioning precise bodily hurt, an offence of strangulation, and an offence of threatening with an offensive weapon. Ms Oakley defined that these offences concerned home violence towards his former accomplice, who he shares a daughter with.

She mentioned: “The defendant told [his partner] that he had cheated on her, and so she said she was going to leave him. The defendant then punched her in the face, slammed her head against the wall, bit her forehead, and repeatedly punched her to the abdomen and hip.

“He then strangled her to the point where she lost vision. Fearing for her life, she managed to bite him, and he let her go. She proceeded to text her dad asking to pick her up, and texted a male friend called Alfie. But after seeing the messages, the defendant held a pair of scissors to her throat and threatened to kill her.”

In mitigation, Hopkins’ barrister Salma Lalani mentioned: “He has been classified as a vulnerable defendant by psychiatrists. Due to the injuries he sustained to his brain in the accident, he cannot remember what happened in February 2023. He has ADHD, autism, and anxiety, and is very vulnerable to violence and exploitation from others. There have been occasions on which he has tried to kill himself.

“He feels ashamed about what he has done and wants to be a better person  and a better parent. He wants to apologise to his former partner, and his daughter.”

But Ms Lalani added: “He is aware that nothing can undo the harm he has done.”

Hopkins’ mom watched from the general public gallery all through the proceedings. Sentencing Hopkins, Judge Freya Newbury informed him: “You are 20 years old and will be 21 years old in just a couple days’ time.

“It falls upon me to sentence you for a number of very serious offences today, principally causing death by dangerous driving. That horrific incident occurred on February 19, 2023. There is a lot of evidence that you were driving at speed, and I have also seen the CCTV. You only had a provisional licence, which should not have allowed you to drive a powerful motorcycle.

“You ignored red traffic lights, you ignored the build-up of traffic on the road, you ignored the stationary vehicles, and you ignored the fact that pedestrians were crossing. You drove straight into them at high speed.

“The scene was horrific. There were many onlookers, pedestrians and other drivers, who witnessed and heard the family struck and flung down the road by the force of the impact. Despite the best efforts of the emergency services, Mustafa was declared dead at the scene, and his father and brother were taken to hospital with severe injuries.

“This brief summary can of course not do justice to the extent of the family’s suffering. I also sentence you for domestic violence offences, which show high levels of culpability and high levels of harm.”

Discussing mitigation, Judge Newbury informed Hopkins: “You have been deemed vulnerable and have faced threats from other prisoners. You have expressed remorse and have accepted that you must be punished for your actions.”

She then sentenced Hopkins to a complete of 10 years and eight months in jail for the “driving offences” and to 16 months for the “domestic violence offences”.

“The total sentence is therefore 12 years,” Judge Newbury mentioned.

She additionally disqualified Hopkins from driving for a interval of 10 years – after which level he must cross a particular driving check.