The family of a youth who was senselessly killed b

The family of a youth who was senselessly killed by dangerous
driver Michael Lia, 21, have written to an Old Bailey judge to
urge for a merciful sentence.

Lia caused the death of his passenger Isaac Adoko, 21, and
left another youth in his car paralysed from the neck down when
he lost control of his car and crashed.

He had ignored 10 road safety signs before the tragic smash.

Judge Richard Hawkins QC took the family’s letter and Lia’s
good character into account when he passed a ‘reduced’ sentence
of 12 months jail.

Lia, a Ugandan seeking asylum in Britain and who was living
in Minster Road, West Hampstead, denied causing death by
dangerous driving but was found guilty by the jury.

The court had heard the accident happened in the early hours
of October 4 last year at a notorious accident black spot on
West Hill on the A3 in Putney.

Lia, driving in the middle of a convoy of three cars on their
way home from a party in New Malden, lost control when the six
lane dual carriageway converged into a normal two lane road.

Unable to avoid hitting the car in front because of his speed,
Lia overtook at up to double the 30mph speed limit before losing
control.

The Nissan Sunny swerved wildly before smashing into the
front of an on-coming car.

It flipped a full 360 degrees in the
air before landing on its wheels again.

Mr Adoko, from Kingston, and Peter Ogwal, 20, were hurled out
of the car by the force of the smash.

Judge Hawkins was handed a letter from Mr Adoko’s family
offering support for Lia, who was described by his counsel as
‘an honest young man.

‘
He told Lia: ‘You were travelling much too fast in the
circumstances and lost control.

‘The offence is so serious that only a custodial sentence
can be justified.

‘
Lia was disqualified from driving for four years.

ENDS