Indian-Origin Man Jailed for 13 Years Over Death of Three Teenagers in UK

An Indian-origin man who admitted to causing the death of three teenagers due to his dangerous driving under the influence of alcohol was sentenced to jail for 13 years by a UK court on March 28.

Jaynesh Chudasama, 28, of Hayes, was initially sentenced to 20 years and six months in jail, however, the sentence was reduced to 13 years for entering an early guilty plea. Chudasama has also been disqualified from driving for 13 years and six months.

Chudasama pleaded guilty on Feb. 26 to three counts of causing death by dangerous driving. The incident took place when three teenagers — 17-year-old Harry Louis Rice, 16-year-old George Toby Wilkinson and 16-year-old Josh McGuiness — were walking along the pavement with friends in Shepiston Lane, Hayes, on Jan. 26. They were on their way to a birthday party when an Audi A5 with two occupants mounted the pavement at an estimated speed of 71 mph and collided with the group of boys. The teenagers were killed at the scene, according to the Metropolitan Police.

The occupants of the car fled, abandoning the vehicle after the collision. Chudasama, the driver of the car, was nabbed by the public and arrested at the scene. He was charged on Jan. 28.

“The thoughts of the Metropolitan Police are with the families and friends of Wilkinson, McGuiness and Rice at this unimaginably difficult time. Jaynesh Chudasama took the decision that evening to drive at excess speed while under the influence of alcohol–a decision that resulted in the death of three young men,” detective superintendent Andy Cox of the Roads and Transport Policing Command said.

“It is obvious that nothing any court can do can measure the loss of Josh, Harry and George for the obvious reason that their loss is immeasurable,” Judge Wendy Joseph QC said.

The friends and families of the teenagers who were present at the courtroom during the sentencing said that Chudasama was a “coward” as he left the boys to die while trying to run away from the scene. “You are going to rot in hell,” McGuiness’ mother told Chudasama, the Guardian reported.

During the sentencing, protesters gathered outside the court and demanded for a harder sentence for those driving dangerously. “I’m protesting because my brother was ruthlessly taken away with his two friends by a callous driver who got in a car knowing he was going to drive the vehicle under the influence. He should not see the light of day, end of story,” the report quoted Rice’s brother, Matthew, who was one of the protesters, as saying.