Blerim Manallari, 24, an Albanian national, pleaded guilty on Thursday at the Old Bailey to causing death by dangerous driving and two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was driving a Mercedes without the owner's permission at speeds exceeding 60mph on a 20mph stretch of Hoe Street in Walthamstow, east London, on March 24, 2024.
Collision and Fatalities
Manallari attempted to overtake on a bend when he smashed into a Vauxhall Polo, killing the driver, 20-year-old Abdul Hasseeb Akram, and seriously injuring two 16-year-old cousins who were passengers. He fled the scene after the crash.
Additional Charges and Sentencing
Manallari also admitted failing to stop at the scene, driving without a licence, and driving without insurance. Judge Nigel Lickley KC adjourned sentencing until October 1, warning Manallari he faces “a custodial sentence of some duration.” The court heard Manallari, of Tower Hamlets, east London, was of previous good character and had lived in the UK for eight years. He was granted continued conditional bail.
