Latest news with #PiccadillyGardens
BBC News
17-05-2025
- BBC News
Bus driver sentenced for causing fatal Manchester cafe crash
A bus driver who crashed into a cafe in Manchester killing a woman has been given a suspended sentence. Almena Amica, 77, who was known as Mena, died in hospital after the bus struck the T4 bubble tea cafe in the Piccadilly Gardens area of the city centre in October 2023. Eleven other people were injured. Khalid Mahmood, 66, previously pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous was given a two-year suspended sentence and banned from driving for five years. 'Sense of absence' Several passengers and pedestrians suffered from minor from Eccles, had claimed the crash was a result of a defected vehicle, Greater Manchester Police a specialist forensic reconstruction officer found this that this was not the case, with his report concluding that it happened as a result of a failure to apply the Mahmood was sentenced, Mena's sister described her as a woman who was "dedicated to her family, friends and faith"."It is impossible to put into words the impact the death of my sister has had on me, to translate feelings into words, to convey the sense of the absence of Mena into words," she said."Mena was my last living sibling, we had so many plans together, but her future has been taken away from her, and our shared plans have been taken from me."She thanked the police and the charity, Brake, for their support. "I am also very grateful to all the members of the public who went to Mena's aid at the time of the incident and for the flowers left in her memory," she added. 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.
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Bus driver who failed to brake and killed 77-year-old woman pedestrian before smashing into cafe avoids jail as her sister pays heartbreaking tribute
A bus driver who failed to brake and killed a 77-year-old woman has avoided jail as her sister pays a heartbreaking tribute. Almena Amica was using a pedestrian crossing to cross the road in the centre of Manchester when the bus accelerated and collided into her. A further 11 people – a mixture of pedestrians and passengers - escaped with minor injuries as the single decker bus smashed into a café in Piccadilly Gardens on October 16, 2023. Bus driver Khalid Mahmood was arrested at the scene a and while in custody maintained that the incident was as a result of a defected vehicle. A specialist forensic reconstruction officer conducted an extensive investigation and identified that this was not the case, with his report concluding that it was in fact a result of failure to apply the brakes. On March 12, Mahmood, 66, from Eccles, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at Manchester Crown Square Crown Court. He has today received a two year suspended sentence and has been disqualified from driving for five years. Whilst battling her own cancer diagnosis and recovery, and the recent death of their brother, Almena's sister said it is 'impossible to put into words' the impact of her death. In an emotional statement she described her sister - who was known by her loved ones as 'Mena'- as a woman who was dedicated to her family, friends and faith. She said: 'It is impossible to put into words the impact the death of my sister has had on me, to translate feelings into words, to convey the sense of the absence of Mena into words. 'Mena was my last living sibling, we had so many plans together, but her future has been taken away from her, and our shared plans have been taken from me. 'The first anniversary of our brother's death took place just over two months after Mena's death and without her for support, I mourned two siblings instead of one, alone.' She to regularly has to pass through the area where Almena was kielled and is 'forced to relive that very day'. 'When I received the call from police, I could not understand how it was Mena who had been involved in the incident,' she continued. 'All I wanted to do was to go in and see and speak to my sister. I wanted to let her know that I was with her.' She also spoke of their family's Jamaican heritage and Almena's plan to record Jamaican folk tales for her younger family members. She said: 'Of all our family, Mena spent the most time living in Jamaica and was the best link to our culture and language. Her death results in the loss of a part of our heritage. 'Our grandson is only three and will not hear Jamaica Patois spoken by a close family member. 'Mena was planning to read and record Jamaican folk tales for her younger family members so they could hear the stories spoken in Jamaican dialect. 'No words will ever be able to convey the impact of Mena's death on me. My sister's death is not a small thing to me. 'On behalf of the family, I would like to thank the police for their investigation and support, and to the charity Brake, for their support. 'I am also very grateful to all the members of the public who went to Mena's aid at the time of the incident and for the flowers left in her memory. 'I will focus on these acts of public kindness when travelling through the bus station rather than the memory of it being the place of death of her sister.' Eleven other people, both pedestrians and bus passengers, were either treated at the scene or in hospital for minor injuries. In the wake of the horror smash a crowd of people could be seen standing on a pavement with the front end of a single-decker Diamond-branded blue bus ploughed into a side of newly-opened bubble tea shop T4, leaving staff shaken. One picture on social media showed a woman applying pressure to an injured man's leg. She could be seen using what appears to be an item of clothing as a tourniquet. Shattered glass was scattered on the floor while white tents were erected by the emergency services at the scene. Sergeant Louise Warhurst from our Serious Collision Investigation Unit said: 'The impact of Mahmood's dangerous actions on Mena's family have been truly devastating and our thoughts are with her loved ones.'
