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Twice speed limit driver jailed after cyclist's death

CCTV footage compelled killer to plead guilty

A man who drove at twice the speed limit in a built-up area before striking and killing a cyclist, has been jailed, reports the Barnet and Whetstone Press.

The man*, 22, of Colindale in the London borough of Barnet, pleaded guilty at Harrow Crown Court on Tuesday to a charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

The court heard that on July 20, 2010 at 6.20am while driving a Honda Civic at excessive speed on Uxbridge Road, the driver struck 34-year old father of two Rajendra Ramakrishnan near the junction with Cornwall Road.

Mr Ramakrishnan suffered head and neck injuries in the collision and died two days later at the Royal London Hospital, in Whitechapel.

The driver was arrested at the scene of the incident and this week was sentenced to two years and seven months imprisonment and disqualified from driving for three years.

Detective Sergeant Chris Osborne of the Road Death Investigation Unit told the B&W Press: “This serves as a warning that doing double the speed limit in a busy area can not only result in someone’s death, but also a term in jail.

“Using CCTV we were able to provide overwhelming evidence that resulted in the defendant pleading guilty, giving the victim’s family the answers they needed. My thoughts remain with them.”

* The name has been removed due to similarities with others not associated with the person originally mentioned in this article. 

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20 comments

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Stumps | 13 years ago
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You will find that when soemeone is a dizzy driver they either dont drive at all or dont give a stuff and continue to drive each and every day, so banning them for long periods doesn't make much sense as if they get caught the courts are very reluctant to send them to prison.

A previous entry about ANPR was correct but if a dizzy driver is going out in someone else's car it wont flag up on the system.

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stewieatb | 13 years ago
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On the subject of sentencing, why is it now so common for sentences to be nearly halved for 'good behaviour'? I'm beginning to suspect that the bar for 'good' behaviour is set drastically too low.

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Paul M | 13 years ago
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I am not a lawyer but I think murder is defined as having "mens rea" or sometimes in English "malice aforethought". Manslaughter is defined as causing death through reckless or negligent behaviour and understanding that such behaviour might cause death and not caring. I could just about get someone driving 10 or 20% over the limit not being regarded as reckless etc, but TWICE the limit in a built-up area?

The conviction should have been for manslaughter, for which a sentence of up to about 10 years, and up to about 6 served, would have been commensurate.

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sam_smith | 13 years ago
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death caused by dangerous driving should be on par with manslaughter sentances wise. The shit should've got a longer ban & at least 5 years in the chokey.

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moonbucket | 13 years ago
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How about a sentence that will make more people think twice? That sentence is not a deterrent.

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antonio | 13 years ago
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disqualification from driving should commence on release from prison since they can't drive anyway while locked up.

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smernicki | 13 years ago
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Maybe a picture of the driver next time?

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londonplayer | 13 years ago
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Agree with Surreyxc.

Surely a ten year ban is the only effective deterrent for drivers? 3 years passes quickly but 10 years would really make them think.

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OldRidgeback | 13 years ago
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Aged 22 and with a three year ban it'll be 10 years at least until he can afford insurance to drive again. To be honest, I feel more for the victim's family and what they're going through. I don't really care about the bloke who caused the accident.

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cavasta replied to OldRidgeback | 13 years ago
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OldRidgeback wrote:

Aged 22 and with a three year ban it'll be 10 years at least until he can afford insurance to drive again.

Call me cycnical if you like but I doubt whether a three year ban or the lack of insurance will prevent a little shit like this from getting behind the wheel of a car.

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OldRidgeback replied to cavasta | 13 years ago
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cavasta wrote:
OldRidgeback wrote:

Aged 22 and with a three year ban it'll be 10 years at least until he can afford insurance to drive again.

Call me cycnical if you like but I doubt whether a three year ban or the lack of insurance will prevent a little shit like this from getting behind the wheel of a car.

The cops have finally woken up to the dangers posed by uninsured drivers. He'll be a marked man. If he gets behind the wheel he'll be stopped not too long after. ANPR does a lot of the donkey work.

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kace19 | 13 years ago
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As has been observed before here; if you want to kill someone, do it from inside a car, and you'll never face proper punishment.

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Kim | 13 years ago
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So long as the driving licence remains as a sacred right we will never have real justice, just a lottery or an auction.

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surreyxc | 13 years ago
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who knows about the sentence, does good behaviour mean out in 1.5yrs?

But a three driving ban, has anyone ever actually been given a proper ban i.e. more than 10yrs or life, what would you actually have to do to get a proper ban beyond killing someone on the road.

Will this ban be served whilst he is in prison, becuase if he serves the whole term that would mean a 5month ban.

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stewieatb replied to surreyxc | 13 years ago
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Surrey - I'm starting to thinking similarly. Causing a death on the roads should entail a mandatory lifetime ban, in addition to any prison sentence or fine.

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Matt_S | 13 years ago
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If you're doing twice the speed limit in a built up area, it's premeditated. 2 years for premeditated murder is a fuck1ng joke. As usual.

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Michael5 replied to Matt_S | 13 years ago
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Matt_S wrote:

If you're doing twice the speed limit in a built up area, it's premeditated. 2 years for premeditated murder is a fuck1ng joke. As usual.

B*ll*cks. Premeditated requires an intention to kill. Although driving at double the speed limit is undeniably reckless it doesn't mean the driver set out with the intention of killing someone.

What price would be satisfactory? 10 years? 20? I'm sure to the family of the dead man no penalty would be good enough.

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RhysW | 13 years ago
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Detective Sergeant Chris Osborne of the Road Death Investigation Unit told the B&W Press: “This serves as a warning that doing double the speed limit in a busy area can not only result in someone’s death, but also a term in jail.

It's an interesting comment, it appears the Police Sgt appears to think that killing somebody needs to have weight added to the severity .. nice thinking.

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Kim | 13 years ago
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Why are you showing a Gavel? Is justice now an auction? The Gavel is not used in any British court, only in auction houses.

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dave atkinson replied to Kim | 13 years ago
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Kim wrote:

Why are you showing a Gavel? Is justice now an auction? The Gavel is not used in any British court, only in auction houses.

we should probably replace it with a picture of a slapped wrist for most of these stories  22

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