Driver 'wrongfully' blamed victim of fatal crash

Vanessa Sagnay de la Bastida was crossing the road with her fiance near Wandsworth Bridge

A man accused of causing death by dangerous driving after an Ecuadorian politician's daughter was killed when she was hit by a car has admitted he "wrongfully" tried to blame the victim.

Vanessa Sagnay de la Bastida, 27, was holding hands with her fiance as she crossed a road near Wandsworth Bridge in west London in March 2022 and was struck by a Mercedes.

Octavian Cadar, 39, was allegedly driving the vehicle at more than twice the 20mph (32km/h) speed limit at the time of the collision, causing Ms Sagnay to somersault in the air and land on a railing.

Mr Cadar, of Bexley, south-east London, has admitted causing her death by careless driving but has denied the more serious offence of causing death by dangerous driving.

Ms Sagnay, who was known as Charlotte, suffered a head injury and died at the scene about 13 minutes later, despite the efforts of an off-duty doctor, the Old Bailey heard.

The defendant initially claimed her fiance Michael Williams had stopped on the road, waved his hands and was pulling her backwards and forwards.

He had also previously suggested that Mr Williams caused the collision and implied the couple had been "messing around in the road".

'In shock'

When asked why he had chosen to blame Mr Williams for the incident during a police interview, he told the court: "I had tried to blame them but I was wrong.

"I was in shock during the interview. I said Mr Williams stopped and waved his hands about."

Mr Williams had previously said the couple had been holding hands as they began to cross Bridgend Road, having checked it was clear at the pedestrian crossing.

He said they got halfway across the road when they heard a "loud revving" sound of a car accelerating and backfiring.

Prosecutor Amanda Hamilton told the court the couple had panicked and dispersed in different directions.

Mr Cadar accepted he was speeding but said he had been focused on avoiding the couple who were crossing the road.

Ms Hilton said a forensic expert had concluded Mr Cadar's car had travelled at an average speed of 55mph (88km/h) from the McDonald's drive-through to Bridgend Road.

She said he was doing 48mph (77km/h) just before impact in the 20mph zone.

The trial continues.