The family of a mum killed when a car crashed at over 100mph has spoken of their fury after the driver was sentenced. Beautician Yagmur Ozden, 33, died after Rida Kazem, 24, lost control of his Range Rover.
Kazem, 24, admitted causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was jailed for seven-and-a-half years.
A court heard he was “showing off” on a 40mph stretch of the A40 in Ealing, West London, while giving the two women a lift home last August. His car hit a stationary vehicle and ended up on tracks at London’s Park Royal station, the Mirror reports.
Sentencing him at Isleworth Crown Court in West London this month, the judge told Kazem, who had a leg amputated after the smash, he must serve at least two-thirds of his sentence. He was also banned from driving for more than 12 years.
Yagmur’s family spoken about the sentence handed to Kazem. Her sister-in-law Kirsty Kelly, 33, said: “How is that justice? It’s as if Yagmur’s life is worth nothing. It is a slap in the face.
“Causing death by dangerous driving can carry a life sentence, yet, in a few years he will be out.”
Jewellery store manager Kazem, of Greenford, West London, had two previous speeding convictions, and a six-month driving ban in 2020. Yagmur, of North London, who ran a beauty salon with two of her sisters, was on a rare night out and did not know him.
Her family is demanding dangerous drivers be jailed for longer and for banned drivers to never get their licences back. Sister Maya Kodsi, 37, said: “This man took a life. How is it that he wasn’t given a harder punishment?”
Her mother, Ahlam Anabtawi, 65, added: “When I heard the sentence, I cried. It’s not fair and it’s not justice.”
Another sister, Hulya Hererra, 41, broke the awful news to Yagmur’s young daughter, Melek Ozden. Melek, 13, also criticised Kazem’s sentence, saying: “He says he’s sorry, but seven-and-a-half years is not enough.
“My mum was amazing. She used to be up here laughing and now she is [buried] under the mud.”
As well as fundraising for Melek’s future, the family is rallying their MPs and road safety groups for support. Labour MP for Brent Central, Dawn Butler, said: “The judge has chosen not to award a harsher sentence and the family deserves answers.”
Nick Simmons, of crash victims’ charity RoadPeace, said it was “completely unacceptable” judges are not using tougher sentencing powers.
The MoJ said: “Our new laws have increased the maximum penalty to life imprisonment for causing death by dangerous driving. Law officers are considering a request for this sentence to be reviewed under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.”
