Drink-driver pleads guilty to killing three teenagers in Hayes

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/feb/26/man-pleads-guilty-to-killing-three-teenagers-in-hayes-car-crash

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A man has admitted killing three boys as they walked to a 16th birthday party while he was driving more than two and a half times over the alcohol limit.

Jaynesh Chudasama, of Hayes, west London, was travelling at 71mph on a 60mph road when he hit the teenagers, who died instantly.

Chudasama, 28, a car hire worker, who also had traces of cannabis in his system, pleaded guilty to three counts of causing death by dangerous driving during a hearing at the Old Bailey in London.

Harry Rice, 17, a semi-professional footballer, George Wilkinson, 16, an apprentice electrician, and Josh McGuinness, 16, a labourer, had been among a group of friends making their way to the party at a Goals football centre at about 8.40pm on 26 January.

The defendant was attempting to overtake another car when he lost control and struck the boys head on, the court heard.

The victims were propelled into the air and Chudasama’s Audi spun round. He and his passenger got out and ran off, pursued by two boys, who dragged the driver back to where their friends lay.

One of the boys later admitted that he had hit the driver over the head with a bottle to prevent him from getting away.

A girl held George’s hand as he lay partly in the road with fatal head and neck injuries. Josh was hit with such force that he was thrown over a fence into a cemetery.

The court heard Harry’s body was crushed against the cemetery wall.

When police arrived, an officer went over to help Chudasama, which led some of the teenagers to ask why he was aiding the man who had killed their friends.

The judge, Wendy Joseph QC, noted that the boys were part of a group of eight children and although the loss of life was “appalling”, more young people could have been killed.

The victims had attended Harefield academy.

Chudasama hung his head and spoke softly as he entered guilty pleas in a courtroom packed with tearful members of the boys’ families.

Crispin Aylett QC, prosecuting, said funerals for two of the boys had yet to take place and no victim impact statements had been completed.

Sentencing was adjourned until 9 March. The maximum sentence for causing death by dangerous driving is 14 years in prison.