Phyllis Willis Obituary, Death; – A man responsible for the death of a mother of four in a head-on collision has been sentenced to two years and four months in prison. Phyllis Willis, aged 84, tragically lost her life at the scene in Takeley, Essex, when the vehicle she occupied was hit by a Range Rover in September 2022.
The driver, Naeem Shahani, reportedly lost control of the vehicle momentarily, and a “severe overcorrection” led him to veer across the carriageway, as presented in Chelmsford Crown Court. The 39-year-old, residing on Sheppey Road in Dagenham, East London, was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving and inflicting serious injury through dangerous driving. It was revealed in court that he was tasked with transporting vehicles between various car parks near London Stansted Airport.
Judge Christopher Morgan remarked that Shahani had received “inadequate” training for his driving responsibilities. He elaborated that Shahani “oversteered” a customer’s vehicle after grazing a verge on a bend in Parsonage Road.
This misjudgment resulted in a head-on collision at approximately 45 mph (72 km/h) with a Mitsubishi driven by Lynn Smith, in which Mrs. Willis was a passenger, on September 26. “For some reason, you were unable to maintain the vehicle on a straight and proper course,” Judge Morgan stated while addressing the defendant.
The court heard a victim impact statement from one of Mrs. Willis’s four sons, Nigel, expressing the family’s devastation over her “sudden and unexpected death.” “Even in her mid-80s, our mother remained very active, going out most days,” Mr. Willis noted. “No words can adequately alleviate the pain felt by our family.”
The court was informed that there was no indication Shahani was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the incident. Judge Morgan suggested that the driving error might have stemmed from Shahani’s “unfamiliarity with this type of vehicle.”
Ms. Smith, who is Mrs. Willis’s daughter-in-law, sustained a severe foot injury in the accident that would have lifelong repercussions, the judge remarked. In mitigation, Peter Hunter described the incident as “the most horrific accident,” adding that for the past two years, Shahani has been deeply affected by the consequences of his actions.
