Judge jails death driver and warns of ‘Top Gear culture’

A JUDGE has lamented “Top Gear culture” as he jailed a young BMW driver for the hit-and-run death of a pensioner.

Ziad Hamed, 23, had already racked up 12 points on his licence before he knocked down Derek Raynor, 81, in his 5 series BMW.

Doing double the 30mph speed limit, Hamed went through a pedestrian crossing at a red light and struck Mr Raynor on Hammersmith Road, west London, in March last year.

He had only bought the car the night before. He pled guilty to causing Mr Raynor’s death by dangerous driving and was jailed for six years and four months at the Old Bailey.

Sentencing, Judge Nicholas Cooke, QC, said: “There seems to be at the moment a culture of young males driving powerful cars at excessive speeds.”

He said the BBC motoring programme should come with a warning – and notices on unacceptable driving “should be flashed at the start of every episode of Top Gear”.