A reckless driver who caused a fatal crash on the M25, resulting in the deaths of a mother-of-eight and a young man, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Barancan Nurcin, 22, was driving a white Citroen Dispatch van when he collided with three other vehicles on Sunday, February 4. The crash involved a silver DFSK 580 Glory, a silver Skoda Superb, and a black Peugeot 5008 between junctions 22 and 21A on the busy motorway.
The victims were Zoe Hawes, 39, from Canvey, and Fahad Dek, 23, from Enfield. Mrs Hawes was a devoted mother to eight children and step-children and was on her way to celebrate her 40th birthday with her husband, Wayne, when the tragedy occurred. Mr Dek was a passenger in Nurcin’s van.
Nurcin appeared at St Albans Crown Court on March 26, where he pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He also admitted to driving without a licence or insurance.
The court sentenced Nurcin to 18 years for each of the two death charges, to run concurrently alongside other lesser sentences. Nurcin showed no emotion as the sentence was passed. He will serve up to two-thirds of his sentence in prison, with the remainder on licence.
Mrs Hawes’s daughter expressed her grief, saying, “I remember screaming and falling to the floor. You have no idea how much pain you have caused me, my family, and everyone who I love. I will never forgive you for what you have done to our family. You can never do long enough in prison.”
Wayne Hawes, who survived the crash but suffered life-changing injuries including a brain bleed, damage to his neck, hip, ribs, and leg, as well as loss of vision in one eye, shared a poignant moment from hospital. His sister recalled that when Wayne woke, he wrote the letter “Z” asking after his wife. “Tears began to roll down Mr Hawes’s face. I knew I had broken his heart,” she said.
Nurcin’s barrister, Edward McKiernan, stated that his client pleaded guilty without delay and cited Nurcin’s youth and inexperience as mitigating factors. He also revealed that Nurcin sustained a serious pelvic injury in the crash.
Originally published by UKNIP.
