A Nigerian migrant who had failed his UK driving tests has been jailed after causing a fatal crash that claimed the life of a 70-year-old woman and left her husband seriously injured.
Timothy Kusemi, 41, was driving unsupervised on a provisional licence when his vehicle struck Susan Whittles in 2023. Emergency services arrived at the scene, but Mrs Whittles was pronounced dead shortly after.
Her husband, who was with her at the time, sustained severe injuries and was rushed to hospital, where he underwent treatment.
During court proceedings, prosecutors said Kusemi should not have been driving alone, having failed to obtain a full licence. “The defendant knowingly ignored the restrictions placed on provisional licence holders,” the prosecutor told the court. “His actions had devastating and irreversible consequences.”
Witnesses described the crash as sudden and violent. One bystander said, “It all happened so quickly. There was nothing anyone could do.”
In a victim impact statement read in court, the Whittles family paid tribute to Susan, describing her as “a loving wife, mother, and grandmother whose life was cut tragically short.” The statement added, “Our family will never recover from this loss.”
The judge, in sentencing, condemned Kusemi’s actions, stating: “You chose to drive despite knowing you were not legally permitted to do so unsupervised. That decision has cost an innocent woman her life and caused immense suffering to her family.”
Kusemi was sentenced to a term of imprisonment, with the court emphasizing the seriousness of driving offences involving unlicensed drivers.
Authorities have renewed calls for stricter adherence to driving laws, warning that ignoring licence restrictions can lead to fatal consequences.
