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Driver jailed over crash that killed mum-of-four

Essex Police A custody photo of Naeem Shahani, who is wearing a grey sweater and looking at the camera looking worried. He has black hair which is slightly spiked up in the middle.Essex Police
Naeem Shahani was driving a customer's Range Rover between car parks near London Stansted Airport when he crashed

A man who caused the death of a mother-of-four during a head-on crash has been jailed for two years and four months.

Phyllis Willis, 84, died at the scene in Takeley, Essex, after the car she was in was struck by a Range Rover in September 2022.

The driver, Naeem Shahani, momentarily lost control of the vehicle and a "severe overcorrection" caused him to cross the carriageway, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

The 39-year-old, of Sheppey Road, Dagenham, east London, had been found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He was employed to move people's vehicles between different car parks near London Stansted Airport, the court heard.

However, Judge Christopher Morgan said he was given "inadequate" driving training for the role.

Essex Police Phyllis Willis wearing glasses and smiling at the camera. She has short grey hair and the picture has been taken from her neck upwards, so not much is visible.Essex Police
The family of Phyllis Willis said it was devastated by her death

Mr Morgan explained Shahani "oversteered" a customer's car after clipping a verge on a bend in Parsonage Road.

It led to him crashing head-on at about 45mph (72km/h) with a Mitsubishi driven by Lynn Smith, of which Mrs Willis was a passenger, on 26 September.

"For some reason, you were unable to put the car on a straight and legitimate path," said Mr Morgan, addressing the defendant.

'Horrific accident'

A victim impact statement read on behalf of one of Mrs Willis's four sons, Nigel, said the family was devastated by her "sudden and unexpected death".

"Despite being in her mid-80s, our mother was still very active going out most days," Mr Willis wrote.

"There are no adequate words of comfort that can take away the pain of what all her family have felt."

Robin Webster/Geograph This picture has been taken of a bend in Parsonage Road. "Slow" has been painted in white on the road surface. It is a sunny day. Bushes are on either side of the road.Robin Webster/Geograph
The crash in Parsonage Road left Ms Smith - who was the victim's daughter-on-law - with a lifelong foot injury

The court was told there was no evidence Shahani was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash.

Mr Morgan said the driving error could have been due to Shahani's "unfamiliarity with this type of car".

Ms Smith, who was Mrs Willis's daughter-in-law, suffered a severe foot injury in the crash that would impede her for life, the judge added.

In mitigation, Peter Hunter said it was "the most horrific accident".

He added: "For the last two years, [Shahani] has thought about nothing other than what happened to [Mrs Willis] and the horrors."

Shahani was disqualified from driving for six years and two months.

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