A driver nearly killed his friends in a car crash after he was inspired to race by Fast And Furious 7, a court heard.
Israel Imwensi, 22, struck a traffic island while speeding through the Blackwall Tunnel, shortly after seeing the hit movie in the cinema.
His Audi A3 spun into oncoming traffic, hitting a lorry head-on and leaving passengers Teishan Mulholland, Evens Amisi-Fuma, and Latrelle Joseph with brain injuries and broken bones. Imwensi, a Birmingham City University student, suffered leg and arm injuries.He pleaded guilty to three charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving in the crash, on April 7, 2015.
Sabrina Felix, defending, told Snaresbrook crown court: “He gave in to this feel-good atmosphere shared with his friends and in a moment of madness started racing. He had just seen a movie involving cars and this is a clear proof of his lack of maturity and he almost killed his friends and himself.”
Judge Robert Rhodes gave Imwensi, of Leyton, a two-year suspended jail term, telling him: “You saw a film about street racing and on your way home you raced someone and for some distance you sped. As a result of your driving you spun out of the road and hit a lorry going the other direction. Your friends were severely injured.”
