A speeding driver who killed a student while racing in Kingston, Surrey, has been jailed for five years and three months after telematics data was used to support the police investigation.
Farid Reza was racing his BMW 330d saloon against an identical hire car driven by William Spicer when the incident occurred, but police could not prove the motorists were speeding.
Before the telematics data was obtained, the authorities were only able to ascertain the pair was racing thanks to CCTV evidence.
However, the hire car was fitted with a telematics unit, and motor insurance and road traffic collision investigation company Asset Protection Unit was able to provide the police force with a timeline of events throughout the journey.
Because of this data, APU – a witness in the case – was also able to refute a claim from Reza that Spicer had collided with him, causing him to lose control of the vehicle.
“Accurate analysis of telematics data can be complex but our expert witness was able to assist the police investigation, and present his testimony in a way which helped the court and the jury fully understand the incontrovertible and unchallenged evidence from the telematics device,” said Neil Thomas, director of investigative services at APU.
