A police officer who pleaded guilty to causing the death by dangerous driving of a woman was sentenced to three years' imprisonment and disqualified from driving for more than four years by a court.
Police Constable (PC) Nadeem Patel, 28, was behind the wheel of a marked police patrol car responding to an emergency 999 call when it hit 25-year-old Shante Daniel-Folkes in June 2021. His injuries proved immediately fatal.
Fellow officer PC Gary Thomson, 31, who was driving a police car ahead of Patel's vehicle, was convicted of careless driving by a jury at the Old Bailey in London following a four-day trial on Monday (7).
The court heard that Daniel-Folkes was walking across the road around 11:20 pm close to a pedestrian crossing in Brixton, south London, when Thomson's vehicle passed her with its emergency lights and siren activated.
Around three to four seconds later, Daniel-Folkes continued to cross and was struck by Patel's vehicle. He had earlier switched off his front emergency lights to avoid affecting Thomson's vision in the lead vehicle, but did have his siren activated.
The Crown Prosecution Service said Patel reached a peak speed of 83.9 mph on Stockwell Road just 115 metres from the car's final stopping point.
The vehicle was travelling around 55mph at the time of the collision after Patel braked for two seconds from a speed of more than 81mph.
The car being driven by Thomson also passed Daniel-Folkes at speeds between 70-79mph, and the prosecution was able to prove that he also drove at an excessive speed for a significant distance.
At the end of the trial this week, Thomson was convicted of careless driving, but acquitted of dangerous driving and fined £500 and awarded five penalty points on his driving licence. Patel is banned from driving for 54 months starting February this year.
The CPS said both officers, although not bound by the 30mph speed limit in force in the area while responding to an emergency call, were driving at motorway speeds in a built-up urban area, with a number of potential hazards in the vicinity.
“Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Shante Daniel-Folkes following this avoidable tragedy,” said Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS Special Crime Division.
“PC Patel admitted causing the death of Ms Daniel-Folkes by driving dangerously and I hope his sentence, along with today's verdict for PC Thomson, offers some comfort to her family at this extremely difficult time,” she said.
Police officer jailed for fatal car crash
Nadeem Patel's patrol car, with its siren activated, struck a pedestrian killing her at the scene in London in June 2021
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)