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Joel died two days short of his 18th birthday
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Byfleet crash driver 'undergoing counselling'

By John Ellul
May 13, 2011

THE driver involved in a fatal collision with a teenage cyclist from Woking has been sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid work.

Woking College student Joel Semmens, 17, from Evelyn Close, was cycling home from his girlfriend’s house in Byfleet on the night of October 13 last year when he was in collision with a black Audi TT.

Hannah James, 31, of Disraeli Road, Putney, appeared at Woking Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (May 12) to face charges of failing to stop after a road accident and using a vehicle with an unsuitable tyre.

Joel was taken to St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey where he died from his injuries the following day, two days before what would have been his 18th birthday.

Prosecutor Samantha Forsyth said: “When the victim rode his mountain bike out from Queen’s Avenue, her car struck the left hand side of the bike and the victim was thrown across the road.

“The defendant did not stop and she returned later and admitted being the driver involved in the collision.”

The court heard that James continued travelling to her parent’s house in nearby Pyrford, where she realised the full extent of the damage to her car.

Mark Haslam, defending, said: “The prosecution have said speed was not an issue. You are aware there was no alcohol involved.”

He added no evidence had been found for a charge of death by dangerous driving.

“It’s fair to say failing to stop covers a multitude of sins and it is designed to deal with a totally different scenario, a genuine hit-and-run, and here we have a completely different situation,” he added.

Mr Haslam also told the court that the case had a significant impact on James, who is undergoing counselling to deal with what happened.

James was ordered to complete the sentence in the next 12 months and she will also have her licence endorsed with 10 penalty points. She will pay costs of £87 and face no additional penalty for the tyre offence.

More than 30 friends and family of Joel Semmens turned up to show support, some bringing flowers.

At an inquest held in Woking last month, Surrey coroner Michael Burgess ruled that Joel died from injuries received as a cyclist in the course of a road traffic collision.

For more on this story, including a tribute from Joel's mother, see today's Woking, Byfleet, Chobham and New Haw edition of the Surrey Advertiser.

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I have no hatred for Hannah James. I miss my nephew terribly and hating Ms James wont bring him back. I have wonderful memories of Joel and being bitter will ruin that. NO i dont think the sentence was harsh enough, especially when (as I stated before) people can be imprisoned for non payment of council tax. And unfortunately for a lot of people commenting on here, you do not know the whole facts. Only snippets that you read in the paper. My main gripe is this report in the paper. Accident or not, it is all about the suffering Ms James has been through. Have any of you seen the coroners report or seen the horrific injuries my nephew suffered? Or have any of you spoken to his family and asked how THEIR lives have been affected? Unfortunately i doubt any of you have. Yes Ms James will have to live with this for the rest of her live, but so will Joels family and friends. Our lives have been changed too and we all have to live with what has happened for the rest of OUR lives also. My argument is, there is no newspaper article reporting if the victims family are having couselling, or our stress, grieve and suffering.

Claire Roberts
18/05/2011 at 19:30

The worse part is that I know this road very well, I know how very well lit it is and that the corner he would of come from would of been very visible and very able to see him approach the turning and cross the lane to the second lane where he was hit, the driver would of been able to view him from as far back as the round about.

Jay619, Byfleet
17/05/2011 at 17:28

@ Bob Jones: I'm sorry you found my comment "foolish" and "insulting", it wasn't my intention; however I stand by my assessment of the situation. I don't know if you have a direct connection with any of the people involved but I feel that empathy is useful and hatred is not. @ Jay619 / mic: I agree

Hector
17/05/2011 at 16:15

This is a terrible tragedy for everyone involved. However cyclists can sometimes be very difficult to see at night. Did he have lights and high vis clothing? This is how accidents can and do happen. No charges were brought against the driver for her driving or causing the accident. This sounds like that is what it was - an accident. My thoughts are with all who are affected by this, but I don't think it helps to put blame the driver without all the facts. Parvis Road has long been an accident black spot and unsafe for cyclists. Something needs to be done about it.

mic
16/05/2011 at 17:09

It is understandable that it was an accident so any such hate towards the driver is unacceptable, but there is a big area available for resentment, everything about that court case was a joke, the defence was weak and she should of got more, I know people for petty fights in schools that have been punished more and there are higher costs for just speeding.

Jay619, Byfleet
16/05/2011 at 16:09

"it was an ACCIDENT " ..what a foolish and insulting comment to make..she failed to stop and drove with an unsafe tyre.

Bob Jones
16/05/2011 at 13:19

She left the scene of the accident she left a boy to die she had a bald tyre

i cannot beliive she got 100 community hours, and allowed to take her holiday before this commences and a few measly points on her license. all i can say is Justice is a joke / or she has friends in very high places!!

Natz
16/05/2011 at 12:57

I am lost for words as i cannot believe she got 100 hrs community service and allowed a holiday before this commences - this country has gone mad!

Natz
16/05/2011 at 12:52

I can't believe that she's now like a victim, Oh but I forgot she hit a cyclist and we cyclists shouldn't be on the road,we should be on the pavements so that then we can hit a pedestrians and be called idiots and dangerous. She hit a young guy who had his whole life in front of him, failed to stop and gets 100 hours unpaid work. This world is sick.

JWAddlestone, Addlestone
15/05/2011 at 15:11

It does seem like a lenient punishment and I totally understand the bitterness of the family and friends; however, it was an ACCIDENT - she didn't do it delibrately ! For all the people who think she should be executed, let's hope you're never responsible for taking someones life. I imagine the remorse she feels, and will forever feel is a much greater burden than any prisson sentence.

Hector
14/05/2011 at 18:16

Killing someone else accidentally is a traumatic thing not only for the victims family but also for the drivers family concerned. I can speak from experience, a close relative was in a similar position to the one in the article..killed a cyclist whilst driving. The effects of which have stayed with our family every day for the past 15 years.....long after any prison sentence would have been. I deeply sympathise with the family of Joel and feel for their loss. Bit sometimes grief means you want justice for the grief rather than for the culpability of the event itself. This is a no win situation, just an incredibly sad one.

sartay
14/05/2011 at 13:25

It's a tragedy that such a young man has died in such an accident.

Phil Alexandrou
14/05/2011 at 10:26

I will not comment on this story as the facts are not very clear (except the hit n run bit). My condolences to the family and friends.

Unfortunately the (Tory) geniuses at Woking Local Committee seem intent on making life less safe for cyclists and pedestrians at every opportunity they get. Fishwick Island gone, to suit the motorist. "Use the traffic lights, it's safer" really? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLaCJtNuRLo then we get shared town centre use. No problems in 2 years except "perceived problems", not backed by any evidence. Result = bikes banned at certain times (in time to MISS school children going home, so they can use the 3 lane Victoria Way to get home instead eh?) Then we get the 40MPH reduction to 30MPH limit along Parvis Road, due to the terrible story above and numerous other serious crashes by the bridge. What happened to that?

Please write to your local counsellor http://www.woking.gov.uk/council/councillors2 and Jonathan Lord MP to let him know what you think. Remember, THEY WORK FOR US.

Maybe if we had invested in better bike infrastructure earlier, Joel might still be here. RIP

Followme on twitter @dombat, Woking
14/05/2011 at 00:47

I was actually in the court room and managed to see Hannah James. Her solicitor did not impress me with his pitying story of how James had suffered. I am not interested in her 'feel sorry for me as I have had to seek counselling' selfishness. Nobody mentioned in the court about how his parents, brothers, sister, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends are dealing with this or weather any of these people had counselling. I looked right into James' eyes and she showed no remorse whatsoever. (she looked straight through me). And to prove my point, she is more worried about her holiday than carrying out the pathetic 100 community service. She is totally responsible for my nephews death but she treated court like another day at the office. she has no idea how many lives she has destroyed.

Claire Roberts
13/05/2011 at 22:17

This newspaper report is an absolute disgrace. It is all one sided to make Hannah James look like the victim. I sat in that court room and witnessed the woman who took my nephews life show no remorse. Nothing has been mentioned about what the CPS had to say. i.e ; the damage to her car or the well lit road the incident occured in (minus one street light not working). There is no mention of the trauma Joels parents, brothers, sister, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends have been through and weather any of these people have needed counselling. As for the british justice system? There is no justice. People have received 28 days custodial sentences for non payment of council tax. Yet take a life and it means nothing. Perhaps you should a report about a 17 year old lad who had everything to live for and had his how life ahead of him but was cruelly taken away.