Man Who Mowed Down Pedestrian Found Guilty of Manslaughter
A man who deliberately drove his car into a group of people in east London, killing one of them, has been convicted of manslaughter. Riyaz Adam, 25, of Pearcroft Road, Leytonstone, faced charges of murder, attempted murder, and perverting the course of justice.
After a tense trial at the Old Bailey, Adam was cleared of murder and attempted murder but found guilty of manslaughter on Thursday, 28 November. He had already admitted perverting the course of justice before the trial began. Sentencing is set for Wednesday, 4 December.
Deadly Dash into Crowd
The victim, Constantin, originally from Romania, was struck while celebrating a christening on the early hours of Sunday, 5 May. Adam drove a Toyota Prius to the High Road, Leytonstone, where his co-defendant Jack Bush, 23, was involved in a drunken fight with a group of men.
Witnesses heard Adam made a chilling decision. He used his car as a weapon, swerving into the group. After pulling off a three-point turn, he rammed the crowd again, hitting two men, including Constantin.
Tragic Aftermath
Constantin was thrown onto the bonnet and slammed into the windscreen. Adam sped off with the victim still on the car, trying to shake him loose by sharply steering side to side. He then stopped about 20 metres down the road.
Emergency services arrived at 00:40hrs. Both men were rushed to hospital, but Constantin died two days later on 7 May from multiple injuries, confirmed by a post-mortem on 9 May at Walthamstow Mortuary.
Co-Defendant’s Fate Unclear
The jury could not decide on a verdict for co-defendant Jack Bush, who remains under suspicion in the case. The brutal attack has left a community in shock and mourning.
