Man jailed for causing death by dangerous driving
CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS ON AT TIME OF CRASH
A DRIVER who struck and killed a woman as she crossed a west London road has been jailed.
A court heard Leon Gregory’s black Ford Fiesta collided with Maya Gurung as she walked home from work along Wayfarer Road, in Northolt.
The car was being driven without the headlights on when it crashed into the 55-year-old at around 8.15pm on Wednesday February 5.
Gregory initially stopped, but after turning on his lights he drove away from the scene, leaving Ms Gurung critically injured in the road.
A passing couple called 999 and an ambulance took her to hospital. She died from her injuries six days later.
Following a trial at Harrow Crown Court, Gregory, 42, of Grange Court, Northolt, was found guilty on December 1 of causing death by dangerous driving, two counts of perverting the course of justice and incitement to supply class A drugs.
He was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment, 14 months and two months respectively, to run consecutively.
Gregory was also banned from driving for eight years and 10 months.
Ms Gurung’s son, Suman Gurung, said in a victim impact statement that was read out in court: “I would like to thank all the witnesses who called 999 when they found Leon Gregory under the influence of drugs inside his car on multiple occasions.
“You all judged he was unfit to drive and letting him drive in his state could cause an accident, and reported the vehicle to 999, which tremendously helped my mum’s case. Because of all those 999 calls, the CPS were able to prove Leon Gregory had control of the vehicle and was using it consistently.
“I am extremely grateful to Linda, Chris and Matthew who worked on my mum’s case. Because of their hardwork, my mum got the justice she deserves.
“While I believe the law heavily favours the defendants and is extremely unfair towards the victim(s) and their families, competent officers like these three would do anything in their capabilities to help the victim(s) and their families get the justice they deserve. As a victim’s family that was a big source of strength for me.
“The fact that there are people out there who want justice for my mum as much as I do makes me believe there are still good people left in this world.
“We are truly grateful to everyone who helped my mom and all those good people who called 999 to report a person unfit to drive.”
The Ford Fiesta was found abandoned in Watery Lane, Northolt, the morning after the collision – with damage to the vehicle matching debris left at the scene of the collision.
Enquiries quickly led to Gregory being linked to the car and he was arrested on February 10. Despite denying involvement, he was charged and remanded to prison while awaiting trial.
While in prison, the court heard Gregory threatened a prosecution witness about evidence they were going to give and also attempted to persuade them to smuggle class A drugs into the prison.
He was further charged with perverting the course of justice and incitement to supply class A drugs.
As investigations continued into his activities, officers spoke to several witnesses who provided evidence that Gregory had used the car involved in the collision on numerous occasions in the 12 months prior to his arrest, often when he was in an unfit state.
An incident was identified in April 2019 when Gregory was stopped but gave false details to officers, which subsequently led to another person being disqualified from driving. He was charged with perverting the course of justice in relation to this incident.
During his trial, Gregory refused to accept any responsibility for his actions, claiming numerous other people could have been responsible.
Detective Sergeant Matthew Smith, of the Roads and Transport Policing Command, said: “Gregory’s selfish and reckless actions have resulted in the death of a much-loved mother and family member.
“Throughout the court process, Gregory refused to take responsibility for his actions – his cowardly ignorance meaning Maya’s family had to sit through a trial.
“I hope that his conviction and sentencing can give them some form of closure and also serves as a stark warning about the lethal consequences that dangerous driving can have.”