The sun was warm on the Strand, a typical London afternoon for students enjoying a break outside King’s College. Aalia Mohomed, a bright and promising 20-year-old, sat with friends, savoring a simple lunch and the fleeting moments of sunshine. That peaceful scene shattered in an instant, irrevocably altering countless lives.
Christopher Jackson, 27, has now admitted responsibility for the tragedy, pleading guilty at the Old Bailey to causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury. He stood before the court with his head bowed, a posture maintained throughout the proceedings, the weight of his actions visibly heavy.
The prosecution revealed the profound anxiety felt by Aalia’s family and the two other victims, all desperately seeking closure before the anniversary of the devastating event. Judge Philip Katz KC acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating a “substantial custodial sentence” is inevitable.
The defense attempted to frame the incident as a tragic accident, emphasizing the absence of factors often associated with such cases – excessive speed, alcohol, or drugs. However, the impact remains undeniable: a young life extinguished and others forever scarred.
The collision wasn’t a simple impact. The van first struck a metal gate, tearing it from its hinges with brutal force before careening onto the pavement where Aalia and others were seated. The scene that followed was one of chaos and unimaginable grief.
Aalia, a second-year physics and philosophy student, died at the scene. Her family remembers her not as a statistic, but as a “bright, kind and beautiful soul” whose potential was tragically cut short. The university community mourns the loss of a student full of promise.
Two others, Irem Yoldas and Yamin Belmessous, suffered serious injuries. One eyewitness, a fellow student, recounted a harrowing near-miss, describing how a sudden gust of wind prompted her group to move just seconds before the van struck. “I escaped death by seconds,” she recalled, the memory still raw.
The aftermath was a scene of “carnage,” according to the witness. The driver, visibly distraught, emerged from the vehicle, desperately trying to comprehend the devastation he had caused. His repeated plea, “I don’t know how this could have happened,” echoed the disbelief and horror of everyone present.
Jackson, currently in custody, will face sentencing on March 6th. While the legal process moves forward, the pain and loss experienced by Aalia’s family and friends remain immeasurable, a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the devastating consequences of even a single moment of reckless driving.
The driver’s fiancée and three young children face an uncertain future as he awaits his fate, a poignant detail offered by the defense. He had reportedly been working to provide for his family, a desperate attempt to mitigate the consequences of his actions, but nothing can undo the tragedy that unfolded on the Strand.
