A woman has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving after a 4x4 crashed into a primary school in Wimbledon, resulting in the deaths of two eight-year-old girls. Claire Freemantle, 49, is accused of two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and seven counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving following the incident at The Study Prep school in July 2023.
Incident Details
The crash occurred on the final day of the summer term, as the school celebrated. Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau, both aged eight, tragically lost their lives. Freemantle is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on June 16, where her legal team has indicated she will plead not guilty to all charges.
Investigation Controversy
The Metropolitan Police initially stated in June 2024 that the driver had suffered an epileptic seizure and would face no criminal charges. However, after criticism from the victims' families regarding the investigation, Freemantle was rearrested and released under investigation in January last year. The reversal of the decision not to charge her has raised questions, with her lawyers asserting that there are "serious questions to be answered" about the change in stance.
Police Conduct Under Scrutiny
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is currently investigating allegations of racism in the handling of the case. The watchdog is examining claims that officers provided "false and misleading information" to the families following complaints about the investigation's standard. Four serving officers, including a commander and a detective chief inspector, are being investigated for gross misconduct.
