White van man jailed for killing teenager at twice the speed limit

A white van man who had an appalling driving record before he hit and killed an 18-year-old university student at twice the speed limit has been jailed for ten years.

Dennis Campbell, 62, collided with 18-year-old Mohammed Salim in his white Ford Transit outside Paddy Power on Harrow Road, Wembley in the early hours of 22 January 2022.

Mohammed, a student at London South Bank University, died at the scene after being hit while crossing the road after getting off a bus.

He saw Campbell’s van speeding at him at more than 50mph on a 20mph road and tripped and fell when he tried to run out of the way.

Campbell drove away after the collision, continuing to speed, but was arrested a few hours later.

He admitted causing death by dangerous driving, perverting the course of justice and possession of cannabis.

Campbell had seven previous convictions for 16 offences, all of which related to driving.

They included driving when over the alcohol limit, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance, dating between 2002 and 2010, and he had previously been imprisoned.

Nearly two years after the collision with Mohammed, Campbell was caught speeding twice again in breach of his bail conditions not to drive.

He lied on the penalty notices he received saying his partner was the driver – without her knowledge.

Judge Angela Rafferty, KC, said: ‘Had you been travelling at the speed limit you would have stopped before hitting Mr Salim and even if you had been travelling at 30mph you would have been able to stop.

‘Public buses as we all know often have passengers emerging from behind.

‘You stopped and you looked at what you had done for about 30 seconds and then drove off. You neither rang an ambulance, nor the police, nor did you try and obtain any kind of assistance for Mohammed Salim.

‘Fortunately members of the public were there and acted swiftly.

‘You were seen on cameras to be still speeding on your way home.

‘A year and a half after killing Mohammed Salim you were caught speeding again- twice. You were on pre-charge police bail with the condition not to drive.

‘You have seven convictions for driving offences.

‘This shows a significant pattern of driving illegally for many years.

‘You showed a sustained determination to keep breaking the law even after you’d been involved in a fatal collision and were on bail.

‘You were still speeding even after killing a pedestrian which shows your attitude to speed on the roads.’

Campbell, wearing glasses and a bright white suit and shirt, sobbed into a handkerchief as the prosecutor outlined the facts of the case.

He sat with his eyes closed for most of today’s hearing.

Prosecutor Nadeem Holland said: ‘At about half past two in morning the defendant was driving his Ford van on Harrow Road in Wembley heading southbound.

‘The speed limit was 20mph and that is signed. The defendant’s vehicle was travelling at over 50mph.

‘A little before reaching the junction with North Circular Road is where the collision occurred.

‘Mohammed Salim got off a bus and walked to the rear of bus and began crossing the road.

‘To begin with the bus would have been blocking Mr Salim’s view of the defendant’s vehicle and the defendant’s view of Mr Salim.

‘Once Mr Salim was clear of the bus and visible to the defendant the defendant applied the brakes.

‘Mr Salim began running apparently in an attempt to get past the path of the defendant’s vehicle. He stumbled and he fell and while he was on the floor the defendant’s vehicle hit him.

‘Paramedics attended and did what they could to save his life but despite their efforts he was pronounced dead at the scene.

‘The defendant stopped his van shortly after the collision, he got out and he walked back to the area of the collision were Salim’s body was.

‘He remained there for 30 seconds to a minute before returning to his van, getting in and leaving the scene.’

‘He did not call 999 and was not arrested until a few hours later.’

Campbell was above the drink drive limit when arrested but it is possible this was consumed after the collision and before his arrest, the prosecutor said.

He was not under the influence of drugs.

A forensic collision investigator said that if Campbell had been driving at the speed limit, or even at 30mph, he would have been able to stop before he hit Mr Salim.

After the collision, Campbell was placed on police bail with the condition that he must not drive any motor vehicle.

On 22 October 2023 a speed camera recorded the Ford Transit van going at 42mph in a 30mph zone.

On 10 December 2023 it was recorded at 59mph in a 30mph zone.

Campbell was the driver but when he received a penalty notice he filled them out saying his partner was the driver without her knowledge, forging her signature.

His long-term partner was left with seven points on her license which she knew nothing about.

Members of Mohammed’s family left court as CCTV footage of the incident was played

In a victim impact statement Mohammed’s sister Raman Salim said: ‘Mohammed was the baby of our family. We all doted on him from the moment he was born.

‘He was in his first year of university when he was killing and doing well academically. He couldn’t wait to finish university, pass his driving test and go abroad with his friends for the first time.

‘All of his hopes and dreams were cruelly and selfishly snatched away in the early hours as he walked home from the bus stop after a shift at his part time job

‘In the blink of an eye our lives were changed forever.

‘We think about his last moments, left on the ground to die on a cold winter’s day like an animal.

‘No sentence can undo what has happened but I want those responsible to know the depth of our pain.’

Thalia Maragh, defending, said Mr Salim was walking slowly and wearing dark clothing appearing from behind a bus so would be hard to see.

She added: ‘There isn’t a single meeting I’ve had with Mr Campbell that he has not expressed his profound sorrow for his actions which has resulted in the loss of a young life.’

She said Campbell has suffered for ‘mild PTSD’ since the incident.

Campbell, of High Road, Brent, admitted causing death by dangerous driving and possession of cannabis.

He will be disqualified from driving for ten years following his release.

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