Minicab driver from Wembley ‘was not to blame’ for A40 death crashA minicab driver from Wembley who killed a teacher when he hit his classic car so hard it ‘folded like a penknife’ was not driving dangerously, a court heard today.
Kugannesan Balasubramaniam, 31, of Longley Avenue, allegedly ploughed his Peugeot van into the back of the 1963 MGB convertible roadster at 48mph on the A40 Westway.
Nick Sennett, who had hired the car, suffered serious head injuries as his vehicle was shunted forward violently in the four-car crash.
The 58-year-old died at the scene.
Sam Robinson, defending said Mr Sennett had changed lanes and pulled just in front of the minicab at the same time the traffic slowed.
He told jurors: “Unfortunately at the point that the MG made the manoeuvre from the middle lane to the outside lane was the point at which the traffic had back up over that hill.
“What was 100 metres of clear road in front of this defendant suddenly became a whole lot less.
“He couldn’t stop, he tried as we all would, the result was a terrible accident.”
“This was an accident, there is no blame.”
Mr Robinson noted the prosecutor Nicholas Bleaney’s assertion that Balasubramaniam had been driving aggressively had ‘disappeared’ in his closing speech.
He said the tracking unit in the car which recorded speed was no more efficient than a ordinary sat nav and dismissed the prosecution case as having ‘no physical evidence’ showing how fast the vehicle was going.
Although the defendant was speeding, he said it was ‘not dangerous if the conditions are right’.
Mr Bleaney said Balasubramaniam, who failed a basic numberplate-reading eye test when officers attended the scene, was over-tired when he was driving and was working to get more cash.
He denies a single charge of causing death by dangerous driving.
The trial continues.
source:
http://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/news/crim ... _1_3889923
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