Van driver is jailed for killing girl in crash after '20 lines of cocaine'

A van driver was jailed for 12 years yesterday for running over and killing a little girl while high on cocaine and driving recklessly around Manchester.

- Raphael Boyd

Rawal Rehman, 36, was sentenced at Manchester crown court after pleading guilty to death by dangerous driving last month over the crash that caused the death of three-year-old Louisa Palmisano on 22 February.

The court heard that Rehman had consumed "at least 20 lines of cocaine" in the span of seven hours before visiting two brothels on the morning of the incident and driving his van around Manchester. He hit Louisa shortly after 10am.

She had travelled into Manchester with her parents from their home in Burnley for a day out when she was struck by Rehman in the city centre.

Her parents, who were also hit but survived, attended the sentencing.

In CCTV footage of the incident played to the court, Rehman's Mercedes Sprinter van could be seen trying to cross a road ahead of an oncoming tram before being struck by the tram and veering into Louisa and her parents.