Met Police officer who killed mum in horror crash while speeding is jailed for three years

The 25-year-old nail technician was declared dead at the scene in Brixton, South West London.

Patel was jailed for three years in February after admitting causing Daniel-Folkes' death.

His sentence can now be reported following the trial of colleague PC Gary Thompson, who was convicted of careless driving after speeding at 71mph in a second police car.

Daniel-Folkes' mum Janine Daniel told the court how her daughter was her "princess" who always had the "biggest" smile on her face.

She said: "I struggle to think about the night she died when the police knocked on my door.

"You hope it never happens to you, but it happened to me and in reality the feeling is a million times worse.

"To hear those words 'I'm sorry, she passed away' is something that will haunt me forever.

"It felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest and I remember falling to my knees and could have died on the spot."

The incident occurred around 11.20pm on June 9, 2021, as Patel drove a marked car while responding to an emergency call.

PC Thomson was leading in the first car while Patel followed four seconds away.

The mum began to cross the road but paused as Thomson passed her at 70mph.

She continued crossing before she was hit by Patel, who was too closely following his colleague and didn't have front emergency lights on.

Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward said: "Patel drove at grossly excessive speeds for significant distances.

"Even though they were not bound by the speed limit, it would be obvious to a competent and careful driver that driving in this way was dangerous, and it should have been even more obvious to him with his training.

"He was driving at an inappropriately close distance without his front emergency lights illuminated."