Law graduate gets two-year community order for causing death by careless driving 

A law graduate was sentenced to a two-year community order and 150 hours of unpaid work for causing death by careless driving in west London, The Daily Mail reported.

Raveena Raizada, 23, of Brookwood Road, Hounslow, ran over and killed a pedestrian after she lost control of her BMW and pressed the accelerator instead of the brake, a court has heard.

Raizada had a passenger in the front seat when she careered over a mini roundabout and ploughed into Manjit Singh Khaira, 59, on March 27 last year.

She was also handed a 12-month driving disqualification and, following its expiration, she must take a re-test before she can drive again.

Raveena Raizada

According to the report, Raizada initially told police she had to swerve Khaira, who she claimed 'was literally in the middle of the road'.

However, CCTV evidence revealed the pedestrian was walking along the pavement when she lost control of the car, The Mail report added.

The court heard that Khaira was walking along a pavement in Hayes Road, Southall, in the same direction as the 3 series BMW when he was struck.

There was no traffic other than the defendant’s vehicle and no pedestrians in the area, the court heard.

"Our case is that this is a brief lapse of driving judgment comprising two if not three elements. First of which is the initial loss of control, failure to apply the brakes and pedal confusion if that is what has occurred," Edward Franklin, prosecuting, was quoted as saying in the report.

"There was no reason at all that contributed to that loss of control other than driver error. The defence was 'aggravated by attempt to shift blame onto the deceased."

Marianna Pasteris, defending Raizada, said in mitigation that she 'is of a very positive good character' and has 'great remorse' about the incident.

"The fatal collision has also had a 'very significant impact' on Raizada, who is on anti-depressants and was unable to continue studying a Master's degree," she said.

Judge Mark Dennis, while passing the order, said: "This has plainly had a dramatic effect on the defendant mental health. Cases such as this when the fault is at the lower level I find it to be a tragedy all around."