Nine-year jail sentence for Kirkby man whose dangerous driving led to death of “beloved” student

A Kirkby-in-Ashfield man who sped off while being followed by police was today (Thursday) jailed for nine years after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving after his car hit a student who died at the scene.

Oshada Jayasundera, 31, a Sri Lankan postgraduate student at Nottingham Trent University, was crossing Huntingdon Street in Nottingham city centre with a group of friends at 3.20 am on Wednesday 13 December last year when he was hit by a speeding Ford Focus ST. Despite efforts by police and paramedics, he died at the scene.

The car was being driven by Joshua Gregory, 28, of Westfield Road in Kirkby-in-Ashfield. He was being followed by police the car he was driving was shown as having no insurance or registered keeper.

Gregory sped away from police, weaving in an out of the road. He drove the wrong way down a one-way street before turning onto Huntingdon Street. After hitting Jayasundera, Gregory drove off, continuing up Huntingdon Street, before crashing into a traffic light and bollard. Gregory ran off by was quickly detained and arrested.

As the death occurred in the course of a police pursuit, Nottinghamshire Police referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). After an investigation, the IOPC concluded that that police officers involved in the pursuit had acted appropriately in the circumstances.

Nottingham Trent University described Jayasundera as an “engaged and committed” student who was well respected by his peers and tutors.

“Our beloved Oshada Jayasundera was very close to our hearts and can never be forgotten”, his family said in a statement from their home in Sri Lanka. “He travelled to Great Britain to obtain his third master’s degree in project management.

“During his stay in Britain, he was a studious, humble, law abiding, cooperative, agreeable, and resourceful person who displayed leadership qualities.

“Our family will never recover from this loss for the rest of our lives. We will have to live with it, suffering every single second, every minute, every hour, every day, every week, and all the years to come. This is a huge loss for us, and I hope no one will endure this pain that we are suffering.”

Sergeant Mark Baker from the serious collision investigation unit, of Nottinghamshire Police said: “First and foremost, our thoughts remain with Oshada’s family and friends at this difficult time.

“Gregory’s actions resulted in devastating consequences. He showed a total lack of regard for the safety of others by driving in the way he did which led to the needless loss of an innocent life.

“He showed absolutely no regard for Oshada’s life by speeding away following the collision, in a desperate attempt to avoid capture.

“Now he has been jailed, I hope it brings some degree of closure to Oshada’s family and friends.” Jailing Gregory for nine years, and banning him from driving for 12 years, the judge, Recorder Pauk Mann, said that Gregory had treated city roads like a “racetrack” and driven dangerously in a “prolonged, persistent and deliberate’ manner.”