A speeding BMW driver has been jailed for eight years and three months for killing 21-year-old Kingston University student Hina Shamim by mowing her down in Penrhyn Road.

Farid Reza, 36, of Surbiton Road in Kingston, was today found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving after jurors gave a majority verdict following a two week trial at the Old Bailey. The court had heard how he had been "racing" on March 31, 2015 before Reza’s BMW hit Miss Shamim as she was crossing the road to study at the library.

William Spicer, 28, of Somervell Road in Harrow, was also speeding in Penrhryn Road and faced the same charge. He was found guilty of careless driving.

Both drivers had been going at least more than twice the 30 mph speed limit. Five children were travelling in Reza’s BMW, with one suffering a fractured skull, a fractured jaw bone and a fractured collar bone. The court heard he had been "racing" with Reza before Reza hit Miss Shamim as she was crossing the road to study at the library. Reza had claimed he had been trying to escape Spicer after angering him by “cutting him up” at a junction, leading Spicer to chase him down Penrhyn Road.

He said it was the memory of his dad being “beaten” following a road rage-induced assault when he was roughly 11 years old that led him to grow fearful of Mr Spicer. The alleged cut up was not caught on CCTV. Reza was also forced to deny suggestions he had a reputation as a racer when questioned by the prosecution.

Spicer, a fellow Kingston University student, was driving with friends after going to a pizza restaurant. He argued that despite also speeding he was in complete control of the car.

Both men were also cleared of causing serious injury to one of the children in the car. Miss Shamim was in her final year as a sports science student when she was killed. Sentencing Spicer, Judge Richard Marx handed him nine points on his driver's license, along with a £1,500 fine, £500 of which to go towards the prosecution's costs.