A woman has been charged almost three years after two young girls lost their lives in a devastating crash that occurred while they were enjoying a tea party at their school. Claire Freemantle, 49, has been charged with causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving following the incident in Wimbledon, London, which took place in July 2023.
Freemantle is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Tuesday, June 16. The charges come after eight-year-old Selena Lau and Nuria Sajjad died when a 4x4 vehicle allegedly crashed into the grounds of Study Prep School.
An initial investigation by the Roads and Transport Policing Command led to a decision from the Crown Prosecution Service in June 2024 that Freemantle should face no further action, according to The Mirror. However, following concerns raised by the families of Nuria and Selena, it was agreed that specialists would conduct a review of the investigation.
Commander Charmain Brenyah, who leads the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command, stated: "We have updated the families of this development and our thoughts and sympathies remain with them. These charges follow a complex and rigorous reinvestigation by detectives. There is an ongoing investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) into the first investigation which we continue to fully support. While it is right that this matter be independently scrutinised, we are sorry for how we initially dealt with the incident and for the impact on those affected. We must now let both criminal proceedings and the independent investigation run their course."
Commander Brenyah added: "However, following a review of the Roads and Transport Policing Command we will be fundamentally resetting how the Met investigates fatal and serious collisions. This will ensure our responses to incidents of this nature are more effective, providing better support and outcomes for victims and their families."
In a statement on behalf of Claire Freemantle, Mark Jones, criminal defence partner at Payne Hicks Beach LLP, said she would plead not guilty to the offences. He explained: "Our client, Claire Freemantle, has today been charged following the tragic deaths of Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau and injuries to others on 6 July 2023 in Wimbledon. She will be pleading not guilty to the charges brought against her. As a mother of school-aged children herself, Claire will be tortured for the rest of her life by the dreadful loss and injury resulting from the unimaginable tragedy of that day. She remains utterly devastated by the appalling consequences for all those so tragically affected. However, Claire has no recollection of that terrible tragedy. Moments before the crash Claire suffered an epileptic seizure with loss of consciousness and memory."
Mr Jones went on to describe his client's symptoms and diagnosis, noting that her medical records had been made available to police. He said that on June 24, 2024, after the first investigation, the CPS confirmed that the driver had lost control due to an epileptic seizure and that it was not in the public interest to pursue a prosecution. "Since 6 July 2023, Claire has suffered further seizures. The police are aware of these. She remains under medical care and treatment for her condition. We believe that initial decision by the CPS was the right one in these tragic circumstances and that there are serious questions to be answered about the reasons for its reversal today."
Mr Jones concluded: "There is a limit to what we can say and what should be said now that proceedings are live. There will be no further comment at this stage and Claire asks that her privacy and that of her family is respected by the media."
