Wimbledon school crash: Woman driver will not face action

THE WOMAN who drove her car into a school in Wimbledon, leading to the death of two eight-year-old girls, will not face criminal charges because she had an epileptic seizure at the wheel, according to media reports.

Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau died after a Land Rover crashed into an end-of-term tea party at The Study Preparatory School in Wimbledon on July 6 last year. Several others were injured in the crash.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on Wednesday (26) said that following the police investigation it has concluded that Claire Freemantle, the driver, who was 46 at the time, suffered an epileptic seizure.

Chief Crown prosecutor Jaswant Narwal said that Fremantle has no previous history of having suffered a similar seizure. But the CPS checked Freemantle's medical records and received evidence from neurological specialists who said it was her first seizure.

“Because there is nothing to suggest the driver could have done anything to predict or prevent this tragedy, it is not in the public interest to pursue a criminal prosecution,” she added.

The CPS has informed the affected families about their decision not to press criminal charges.

Freemantle has expressed her "deepest sorrow" and said she had "no recollection of what took place".

"As a mother, I understand there can be no words that adequately express the pain and loss resulting from what happened in those horrendous moments while I was unconscious," she added.

Parents not convinced

The parents of Nuria and Selena said they were not convinced that the investigation had been conducted thoroughly. They said, "Justice has neither been done, nor has been seen to be done today".

In a joint statement, Sajjad Butt, Smera Chohan, Franky Lau and Jessie Deng said: “We were all in the safest place we could have been outside our own homes. We were celebrating a day filled with joy. Nuria and Selena’s lives were taken in a moment."

They said the lives of many were shattered by this incident and they will never be able to lead 'normal' lives.

Many other children were injured when the car ploughed through a fence and hit a building.

The parents said they felt the process had been "questionable".

They said while they continue to battle with 'horrific memories' they have to live with the claim that the person solely responsible for the deaths of two and maiming many others "bears no consequence for the actions".

"We remain unconvinced that the Crown Prosecution Service has reached a decision based on all the facts," they added.