Man jailed for causing death by dangerous driving

A man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after killing a 21-year-old woman in a car crash after a police pursuit.

Ashley Loveday, 28, from Canning Town, previously admitted causing death by dangerous driving after travelling at excessive speed on the wrong side of the road on the A13 in Dagenham.

The Peugeot Boxer van, driven by Loveday, collided with an Uber – a Toyota Prius carrying Grace Payne home to Upminster. She died after sustaining severe injuries.

The driver of the Toyota Prius, Sunder Ali, 59, also sustained serious injuries as a result of the collision.

The crash occurred at around 2.35am on November 25 last year and followed a lengthy pursuit of Loveday by police officers.

A police officer giving chase noted that the van had no rear lights on and was driving erratically.

Loveday failed to stop or slow down, but instead drove through red traffic lights, the wrong way around roundabouts and reached top speeds of over 85mph.

He had also earlier admitted aggravated vehicle taking and causing serious injury by dangerous driving at a hearing on 25 January 2023.

Ellis Williams, District Crown Prosecutor with the CPS, said: “This sentence reflects the severity of Loveday’s offending.

"He chose to indulge in a dangerous high speed vehicle chase, which tragically ended in the death of Grace Payne and left Sundar Ali with serious injuries.

“Nothing can bring Grace back but I hope this sentence goes some way to comfort her family at this difficult time.”