Young driver spared jail after causing death of 75-year-old grandmother on A46 near Stratford

Redi Muzhaki, aged 22, from Coventry, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, and banned from driving for two years after causing the death of 75 year old Linda Boore, a grandmother from Nottingham by careless/inconsiderate driving on the A46 at Redhill on October 14, 2023.

Her husband was also seriously injured by Muzhaki, and Warwick Crown Court on December 15 he was handed another 15 month sentence suspended for two years which will run concurrently.

For causing death whilst driving without insurance Muzhaki was also sentenced to 12 months in jail to run concurrently, suspended for two years.

He must also comply with the terms of a 25 day Rehabilitation Activity requirement, carry out 200 hours of unpaid supervised work and pay £187 victim surcharge.

Mrs Boore and her husband, who was driving a Honda CRV, were travelling home to Nottingham from a wedding reception when Muzhaki collided head on with them in a grey Vauxhall Astra containing two other men, on the A46 just before 8pm on the Saturday evening.

All five people suffered serious injuries and were taken to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, where Linda Boore later died.

The following extracts are taken from the statement made by Mrs Boore’s daughter Nicola: “On Thursday October 12 2023 I spoke to my mum on the phone, just like we did several times a week, sometimes several times a day.

"As we ended the call, I wished them a good time at the wedding they were attending on Saturday and said speak to you on Sunday. That would be the last time I would ever hear her voice.

“The overwhelming nature of losing someone so suddenly and without warning is one that has been and continues to be a daily struggle for me.

“On Saturday October 14, I drove alone for over an hour from my home in Nottingham to Coventry hospital, not knowing if my parents were dead or alive as the officer that knocked on my door that evening could not give me any information.

“The following few weeks were filled with many near death moments for my mum. She was sedated from the moment I first arrived so I never saw her awake.

"I slept on hospital chairs and benches, sat in my car crying in the car park. My days were spent moving between critical care with my mum and the various wards my dad was on receiving treatment for his large injury list.

"I’m an only child so there was just me there taking all of this on, hearing the words and making the decisions that we don’t want to hear.

“I suddenly had no income due initially to my every day being spent at Coventry hospital and latterly taking care of my dad when he got home. His physical injuries prevented him taking care of himself when he returned home and he was dealing with mental and emotional trauma too.

“The emotional toll of hearing that my mum would never recover due to the extent of her injuries and we would have to let her go was heightened further by then having to tell other people.

"I had to tell my dad, I had to tell my young children and I had to tell many family members and friends.

“Losing someone is one thing, but having someone taken away by the actions of another is something else entirely.

"My dad had his wife of 54 years taken from him. I had a wonderful, kind mum taken from me and my children had an amazing, caring grandmother taken from them.

“I have sought counselling to try and help with the trauma of that time and all that has come after. I still struggle to sleep. I have a carrier bag in the corner of my bedroom that the hospital sent me home with me.

"I cannot open it again but cannot seem to do anything with it. It contains my mum’s cut and bloodstained clothing and the jewellery they cut from her.

“There are some days that I still cannot quite believe this has all happened.

"Most days however, it is just pure sadness and an overwhelming sense of injustice that my parents were innocently travelling home safely when the split second actions of another stole my mums life from her and changed so many others.”

Speaking after the sentence PC Drew Ballantyne said: “Mrs Boore and her husband deserved to enjoy their retirement. Instead, they were hit by an uninsured, careless driver who had no consideration for their safety.

"Redi Muzhaki’s driving fell well below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver and after serving his sentence, he will remain disqualified until an extended test of competence has been passed.”