He pleaded guilty last month to causing the death of 15-year-old Freddie Coleman by dangerous driving
Stephen Mahebadevan, 26, of Orford Crescent, Chelmsford, Essex, lost control of his car when he was driving at 67mph – more than double the 30mph speed limit – in the village of Stock at around 8.20am on November 3 2023.
He pleaded guilty last month to causing the death of 15-year-old Freddie Coleman by dangerous driving, and causing the serious injury of a second boy by dangerous driving.
Mahebadevan was jailed for 10 years and disqualified from driving for 13 years and eight months at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday.
He lost control of his Suzuki Swift as he began to negotiate a left-hand bend, mounting a footpath running alongside the road and hitting the two boys.
Freddie was knocked into the path of an oncoming van, whose driver was left with no time to react and avoid him.In her sentencing remarks, Judge Loram KC said: “What you did could well be said to be a deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road.
“I have watched the various clips and note your speed some 80 metres before the brow of the hill.
“I can only conclude that you were speeding because you chose to and you wanted to.”
She also referred to the comments of a witness who saw how fast Mahebadevan was driving, saying: “He was travelling in the other direction to you and described you as ‘flying’ and ‘travelling like a missile’.“He consciously noted what a ridiculous speed you were travelling at.
“This was no lapse or external problem – this was how you chose to drive.“There can be no other conclusion to draw.”
The judge referred to how Mahebadevan made an insurance claim three days after the incident asserting that a bus had swerved into his path.
She said: “That was not an attempt to explain yourself – you were putting forward that version of events as the truth.
“But it was not.
“You were interviewed at the time and you answered no comment.
“Had you assisted the police and told the truth, you might have avoided the delay that you say has impacted on you.
“But instead, you carried on with your life.”Mahebadevan was sentenced to four years in jail, to be served concurrently with the 10-year sentence, for causing serious injury to the second boy.
Freddie’s mother Joanna Coleman said the day her son was killed was “the worst day of my life” and recalled how she “screamed” and “howled liked a wounded animal” when she was told of his death.
Reading a victim impact statement in court, outlining the devastation the death has had, she commented specifically on how her sleeping is affected.
“I scream and cry for Fred. I can’t remember when I wake in the morning. But then again, when I wake up now, it feels like I haven’t been asleep at all anyway,” she said.
Ms Coleman said she rarely leaves the house unless it is necessary, having previously been a “social butterfly”.
She said people’s kindness sometimes makes her feel worse.Ms Coleman said Freddie was “good fun”, adding: “A fabulous loyal friend, everyone young and old, knew and liked Fred, and his mates.”
