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Mentesh Mouherrem admits causing death of Emily Laker in Canterbury crash

A teenager has today admitted causing the death of his girlfriend in a horror crash in which his car hit a tree in Canterbury.

Mentesh Mouherrem lost control of the Renault Clio in Shalloak Road, Broad Oak, killing 18-year-old Emily Laker.

When the charge of causing death by careless driving was put to Mouherrem, of London Road, Teynham, he replied in a quiet voice: “I plead guilty.”

Mentesh Mouherrem arrives at Maidstone Magistrates' Court
Mentesh Mouherrem arrives at Maidstone Magistrates' Court

Prosecutor Eloise Marshall said Mouherrem, also known as Da Silva, took a bend at a speed which caused him to lose control of the car in the early hours of August 30 last year.

“He over-corrected and ended up hitting a tree causing the fatality of the front seat passenger, who was the defendant’s girlfriend,” Miss Marshall told a judge at Maidstone Crown Court.

Mouherrem, 18, was taken to a London hospital with serious injuries.

Another teenager, who was in the back of the car, escaped with minor injuries.

Emily Laker died in the crash
Emily Laker died in the crash

The road was shut for eight hours after the crash at 12.20am.

An earlier hearing heard Mouherrem had been seen drinking heavily at a house party in Faversham on the day of the crash.

He later picked Miss Laker up before heading back to the party.

The backseat passenger said Mouherrem had the music blaring, was driving quickly and the conditions were poor.

He said he heard Emily shout but before he could ask why they had come off the road and "everything went black".

Mr Benjamin and his wife were travelling along the same road towards Canterbury when he saw a black Clio coming around the corner at speed.

He said it appeared to have lost control and he then heard a thump and realised it had collided with a tree. He got out to help.

Mentesh Mouherrem posted a hospital selfie on Facebook after the crash
Mentesh Mouherrem posted a hospital selfie on Facebook after the crash

His wife described the Clio as "looking like it was racing". She said: "The driver had put his foot down and had gone for it."

Mouherrem posted a selfie from his hospital bed, telling friends he was "still going strong".

He later added: "Thank you everyone for your thoughts and messages.

“Unfortunately for some reason, God has taken another angel from me. We was made for each other.

“These sort of tragic events open my mind up to what really matters, so we have to value every single second we have with loved ones.

“Emily was really something else.”

Family and friends of both Mouherrem and Miss Laker sat on either side of the court and left separately.

Flowers left at the scene in Shalloak Road
Flowers left at the scene in Shalloak Road

Peter Alcock, defending, said it was plain it was an emotional case.

Adjourning sentence until March 15 for reports, Judge David Griffith-Jones QC told the teenager: “You should draw no conclusions from what has happened today as to what the sentence will be.

“The court will determine the sentence on the next occasion in the light of all the information available.”

Wearing a grey suit and black tie and shirt, Mouherrem spoke only to enter his plea.

Bail was continued, conditional on residence, non-contact with Miss Laker’s family and not leaving the UK. His passport has been surrendered.

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