British Indian Nooria Sajjad
A woman has been charged in connection with a tragic car crash that killed two eight-year-old girls, including Indian-origin schoolgirl Nooria Sajjad, after a car crashed into a primary school celebration in London.Claire Freemantle, 49, from Edge Hill in Wimbledon, faces two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and seven counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving following the incident in July 2023 at The Study Prep School in Wimbledon.She is expected to plead not guilty when she appears at Westminster Magistrates Court on June 16, according to her legal team.The accident occurred during the end-of-school year celebration in the summer semester when a Land Rover drove through the fence and entered the school grounds.
Nouriya Sajjad and her classmate Selina Lau, both eight years old, were killed, while more than a dozen others were injured.Fremantle was initially investigated, but in June 2024 police said she had a seizure and would not face charges. This decision was later overturned after the victims’ families raised concerns, leading to a re-investigation.She was rearrested and released under investigation in January last year.
Her lawyers questioned the cancellation of the previous decision not to take any further action. A statement from her legal team said there were “serious questions that need to be answered” about why the case was reopened.Mark Jones, a criminal defense partner at Payne Hicks Beach LLP, said she “will be tortured for the rest of her life by the horrific loss and injury” and “remains absolutely devastated” by what happened.He added: “We believe the initial decision is on the part of CPS [Crown Prosecution Service] He was right in these tragic circumstances and there are serious questions that need to be answered about the reasons for its coup today.”The Metropolitan Police admitted shortcomings in its initial handling of the case. She said in a statement: “We regret the way we initially dealt with the incident and its impact on those affected.She added: “We must now let the criminal proceedings and independent investigation run their course. However, following a review of Roads and Transport Policing leadership, we will reset how the Metropolitan Police investigates fatal and serious accidents.”Separately, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is examining the conduct of 11 Metropolitan Police staff during the investigation, including allegations that officers provided misleading information to families and failed in their handling of the case. The watchdog is also investigating allegations of possible racial bias in the way the case was managed.
