the times | Tuesday July 28 2020 2GM 21
News
IN THE TIMES TOMORROW
DAVID SMITH
Falling immigration
is a sign of
economic
weakness
MAIN PAPER
BUSINESS
SPORT
TEST POSITIVE
How the ECB
pulled off a
compelling
bio-secure series
MAIN PAPER
COMMENT
JAMES
KIRKUP
Tories can’t dodge
tax rises for
much longer
MAIN PAPER
FASHION
QUICK CHANGE
Smarten yourself
up fast
PULLOUT
The son of a barrister has been jailed for
killing a high-achieving university stu-
dent in a hit-and-run crash that tossed
her into the air like a “rag doll”.
Quincy Anyiam, 27, was speeding
away from police in Brixton, south
London, in February when the car
struck Anisha Vidal-Garner, 20, who
was on the way to a gig with her boy-
friend.
Anyiam, who had ten earlier convic-
tions including for drug driving, was
jailed for seven years after his father,
Herbert Anyiam, persuaded him to
hand himself in, The Times under-
stands.
Ms Vidal-Garner was reading Span-
ish and philosophy at King’s College
London. She died at the scene.
Her mother, Mandy Garner, criti-
cised Anyiam last night for failing to
appear at his sentencing and instead
writing a letter of regret.
“It shows a complete lack of remorse,
whatever he says in his letter. It’s quite
easy to write something down but
something quite different to come and
face us,” Ms Garner, 54, told The Times.
“I wanted him to hear who she was
and he failed to turn up. He said he was
too traumatised to come to court,” she
said. “It’s all been about him reducing
his sentence.”
Ms Garner, a journalist, said that her
daughter had been obsessed with phi-
losophy from an early age and that she
spoke Mandarin and Spanish. She ran a
Boy, 8, dies after being hit
by driver in a ‘street race’
Charlotte Wace
Northern Correspondent
The family of an eight-year-old boy
killed by a driver allegedly racing
another car have paid tribute to the
“cutest, sweetest boy you will ever meet”.
Safiullah Asif was struck as he
crossed the road in Ashton-under-Lyne
on Thursday evening. Witnesses
claimed that two cars had been racing
each other before one of them, a black
BMW, knocked the boy down.
Safiullah was taken to hospital with
serious injuries and later died.
Norman Latif, his uncle, told The Sun
that the family were “beyond heart-
broken” by his death.
He said: “He was the cutest, sweetest
boy you will ever meet. He was
so kind and was always happy to help
people. His parents are beyond
heartbroken; they are completely dev-
astated. No parent should lose their
child. Now we want justice and for
those responsible to feel the full weight
of the law. We want them to pay for
what they have done.”
Safiullah’s parents, Noreen and
Imran Asif, were said to be too upset
to talk.
A number of floral tributes, balloons
and candles were left on the pavement
close to the scene of the incident.
Police have arrested two men, aged
33 and 21, on suspicion of causing death
by dangerous driving. The 33-year-old
man was also arrested for allegedly
having no licence or insurance. Both
have been bailed pending further
inquiries.
Sergeant Matthew Picton, of Greater
Manchester police, said on Saturday:
“Our thoughts are firmly with the
young boy’s family and we’re deter-
mined to get them the answers they
deserve.” He appealed for dashcam
footage and witnesses to come forward.Lawyer’s son jailed for killing student in police chase
John Simpson Crime Correspondent blog for fellow students of the inter-
national baccalaureate at the Anglo
European School in Ingatestone, Essex.
Ms Garner said that she would post
her victim impact statement to Anyiam
in prison in the hope that he would read
it and commit himself to rehabilitation.
In the statement that she read to the
Old Bailey, Ms Garner said: “We simply
adored her and we will miss her for ev-
er.” She added of Ms Vidal-Garner’s sis-
ters, aged 15 and 17, and her 10-year-old
brother: “Their whole world has been
shattered and we have to rebuild it in
some kind of way.”
Judge Wendy Joseph also banned
Anyiam from driving for 11 years. The
court had been told that on February 19
officers in an unmarked van were
passed on the inside by Anyiam, who
appeared to slow down when they acti-
vated their blue lights at about 9.45pm.
As an officer went to exit the vehicle
Anyiam raced off, jumping red lights
and driving on the wrong side of the
carriageway at speeds of about 60mphbefore hitting Ms Vidal-Garner as she
crossed the road.
Two days later Anyiam handed him-
self in to a police station and was
charged. He pleaded guilty to causing
death by dangerous driving, failing to
stop and dangerous driving in March.
Rory Salters, Ms Vidal-Garner’s boy-
friend, told the court that he had suf-
fered depression and post-traumatic
stress episodes. He said in a statement:
“Anisha was a beam of light in my life
and I miss her every minute of every
day. She was a beautiful, intelligent and
compassionate person with the best
sense of humour and she always filled
my life with joy.”Anisha Vidal-Garner, 20, was described
as a beautiful, compassionate personQuincy Anyiam is
said to have given
himself up at his
father’s urgingMETROPOLITAN POLICE/PA