Latest news with #LouisaPalmisano
The Independent
28-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Moment van driver who took 20 lines of cocaine before running over three-year-old girl arrested
Police bodycam captured the moment a driver who consumed 'at least 20 lines of cocaine' before fatally crashing into a three-year-old girl with his van was arrested. Footage released by Greater Manchester Police shows officers storming a property to arrest Rawal Rehman, 36, of Lambton Road, Chorlton, whose Mercedes Sprinter van struck Louisa Palmisano on 22 February. Locating Mr Rehman, the officers tackle him to the floor, where he repeatedly cries 'I'm sorry'. Louisa had been with her parents on a family visit to Manchester when Mr Rehmen's vehicle struck a tram, which forced the van onto the pavement where it collided with the three-year-old. Mr Rehman was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Tuesday (27 May) at Manchester Crown Court.
The Independent
27-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Moment driver who took 20 lines of cocaine then ran over three-year-old girl arrested
Police bodycam captured the moment a driver who consumed 'at least 20 lines of cocaine' before fatally crashing into a three-year-old girl with his van was arrested. Footage released by Greater Manchester Police shows officers storming a property to arrest Rawal Rehman, 36, whose Mercedes Sprinter van struck Louisa Palmisano on 22 February. Locating Mr Rehman, the officers tackle him to the floor, where he repeatedly cries 'I'm sorry'. Louisa had been with her parents on a family visit to Manchester when Mr Rehmen's vehicle struck a tram, which forced the van onto the pavement where it collided with the three-year-old. Mr Rehman was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Tuesday (27 May) at Manchester Crown Court.
The Guardian
27-05-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Driver who killed three-year-old while high gets 12-year sentence
A man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for hitting and killing a little girl with his van while high on cocaine and driving recklessly around Manchester. Rawal Rehman, 36, was sentenced at Manchester crown court after pleading guilty to death by dangerous driving last month for the crash that led to the death of three-year-old Louisa Palmisano on 22 February. During his guilty plea, the court heard that Rehman, who was 35 at the time of the accident, had consumed 'at least 20 lines of cocaine' in the span of seven hours before visiting two brothels on the morning of the incident and driving his van around Manchester, hitting Louisa shortly after 10am. Louisa had travelled into Manchester with her parents from their home in Burnley for a day out when she was struck by Rehman's van in Manchester city centre. Her parents, who were also hit but survived, attended the sentencing. In CCTV footage of the incident played to the courtroom, Rehman's Mercedes Sprinter van can be seen trying to cross a road ahead of an oncoming tram before being struck by the tram and veering into Louisa and her parents. A separate angle showed Rehman exiting his van after the crash, looking at Louisa lying underneath it, and walking away. Handing out the sentence, Judge Conrad KC gave Rehman credit for his guilty plea and for showing remorse, but said his behaviour was still inexcusable and had 'caused suffering that a sentence couldn't make up for'. The court heard that Louisa was taken to hospital immediately after the crash in critical condition but that doctors could not save her, and she passed away with her parents by her side later that day. The prosecution told the court that Rehman, who was arrested at an address in Blackburn on 24 February, initially told police that he was coming back from a social occasion and had lost control of the van. A later analysis of the van found several faults that meant it was not roadworthy, but none of them would have stopped Rehman from decelerating or otherwise preventing the crash. In a statement read out by prosecutor Rachel Shenton, Louisa's mother and father described their daughter, who they nicknamed Lulu, as a 'thoughtful, generous, kind-hearted girl' who 'brought warmth and joy to those around her'. 'Lulu was our only child and remains the heart of our family. She lit up every room and her absence leaves a silence that we cannot fill. 'We never imagined that such profound loss and sorrow could be brought about so quickly, and yet we continue to live in the aftermath of those few seconds – trying to rebuild, to cope, and to make sense of a world that no longer feels the same. 'Her life, though short, will never be forgotten and she will always be part of us.' Representing the defendant, David Toal said that Rehman's guilty plea and admittance to details in the investigation showed his remorse. He said Rehman fled the scene out of shock and did not realise anyone had died until seeing it on social media later on. Toal also said that Rehman had intended to hand himself into the police prior to his arrest two days after the accident took place. In a short statement read by Toal, Rehman apologised to the family and said he 'hopes that they can accept that an apology made, even if rejected, is better than no apology at all'.
Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Manchester driver's cocaine binge and massage parlour visits before tram crash
Little Louisa Palmisano was killed when a van driver mounted the pavement and ploughed into her and her parents before crashing into a tram. Now the driver has been jailed for 12 years A van driver who took ' at least 20 lines of cocaine ' in the hours before he hit a tram and then collided with a three-year-old girl on a city centre pavement has been jailed for 12 years. Louisa Palmisano, known to friends and family as Lulu, died in the hospital from her injuries after she was struck while walking with her parents on a family visit to Manchester on February 22. Today, (Tuesday, May 27), Rawal Rehman, 35, of Lambton Road, Manchester, was sentenced after pleading guilty to causing her death by dangerous driving in his Mercedes Sprinter van. Rehman left the scene of the collision in Mosley Street at about 10 am before he was later arrested. During his sentencing today, he was banned from driving for over 13 years. READ MORE: Driver who caused death of Louisa Palmisano, 3, after taking 'at least 20 lines' of cocaine jailed Prosecutor Rachel Shenton said Rehman had visited two massage parlours in the city in the early hours of February 22 before the fatal collision. She told Manchester Crown Court during the trial that the defendant had taken 'at least 20 lines of cocaine' in seven hours. Judge Alan Conrad KC heard that it would be the prosecution's case that Rehman's driving was adversely affected by his consumption of controlled drugs. The court heard how Rehman had hit a city tram in his Mercedes Sprinter van before veering onto the pavement and hitting the little girl and both her parents. Following the youngster's death, her family from Burnley, Lancashire, said: "Louisa (Lulu) was the sweetest, kindest, and most generous little girl. She was full of creativity and joy, and she absolutely loved going to nursery every day. Her absence has left a devastating void in our family - she was our only child, our whole world. "We were simply enjoying a happy family day out in Manchester when this unimaginable tragedy struck. In an instant, our lives were shattered beyond repair. The pain of losing her is unbearable, and we miss her more than words can ever express." In a statement, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Rehman ignored stop signs and gave the tram driver no time to react before it struck the side of the van, which then mounted the pavement. Abbie Clarke, senior crown prosecutor for CPS North West, said: 'Our thoughts go out to Lulu's family who must bear this unimaginable loss. Rawal Rehman ignored the stop signs and tram warning signs when he drove straight into the path of an oncoming tram, and it is clear his driving fell far short of what is expected of a competent and careful driver. 'Rehman failed to take responsibility for his actions. He fled the scene in a taxi and denied that he drove dangerously in interview, only accepting responsibility on his third hearing before the court. He must now face the consequences for his role in this wholly avoidable tragedy.' In 2017, Rehman was jailed for three years for conspiracy to pervert the course after he torched a car involved in a fatal hit-and-run collision, which killed a 25-year-old man in Chorlton, Manchester. In an emotional victim impact statement read out in court, Lulu's family said: "Today marks another deeply emotional moment in our journey since the loss of our beloved daughter, Louisa - our precious Lulu. The sentencing hearing has brought a measure of legal closure, but nothing can fill the void left by her absence. "Lulu was our only child and the centre of our world. Her joyful spirit, vivid imagination, and kind heart touched everyone who knew her. At just three years old, she brought more light and love than we ever thought possible. Her life was full of promise, and her loss is something we will carry with us for the rest of our lives. "No parent should ever have to witness the death of their child. The impact of that single, devastating moment has rippled through every part of our existence, emotionally, physically, and financially. Our lives have changed beyond recognition. And yet, in the midst of that sorrow, we have also experienced extraordinary compassion. "We would like to express our deepest gratitude to those who have stood with us during this most harrowing time. Greater Manchester Police have shown unwavering professionalism, diligence, and empathy throughout this investigation. We are especially thankful for the officers who handled Lulu's case with such care and humanity. Their commitment to seeking justice on her behalf has meant more than we can ever fully express. "We are also profoundly grateful to the medical professionals, victim support services, and the various organisations who have offered us kindness, resources, and a safe space to grieve. Your support has helped to hold us up in our darkest moments. To those who have walked beside us—whether through words, actions, or quiet presence—thank you. You have made a difference. "Though no sentence can undo the pain of what happened, we hope that today's proceedings serve as a recognition of the gravity of our loss and the deep impact it has had on our family. This is not about retribution, but about honouring Lulu's life and the love we will always carry for her. "We remain united in our grief and in our love. Lulu's memory lives on in us - in every act of kindness, in every moment of courage, and in every step we take forward. We will continue to speak her name, to celebrate who she was, and to ensure that her light is never forgotten."
BBC News
27-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Drug-fuelled driver who caused three-year-old's death jailed
A van driver who took at least 20 lines of cocaine before crashing into a tram, then hitting and killing a three-year-old girl with his vehicle, has been Palmisano, from Burnley - known as Lulu - was hit by a van while walking with her parents on Mosely Street in Manchester city centre on 22 February, and later died in Rehman, who initially fled the scene before being arrested the next day, had binged on the cocaine and visited two massage parlours in the city on the morning of the 35-year-old, of Lambton Road, Manchester, was sentenced to 12 years in jail at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday, after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. Rehman had ignored stop signs when he careered straight into the tram, causing his van to mount the pavement and hit the victim, at about 10:00 GMT on 22 February, the court ran away from the accident, after flagging down a taxi, and was arrested a day later following a manhunt by police. Lulu's family said they had been on a family trip to Manchester before the "unimaginable tragedy" had said Rehman's sentence "brought a measure of legal closure, but nothing can fill the void left by her absence". Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
