Woman charged after car crashed into Wimbledon primary school in 2023 killing two girls

A woman has been charged after a car crashed into the grounds of a primary school in Wimbledon in 2023, killing two eight-year-old girls.

Claire Freemantle, 49, has been charged with causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving after the incident in southwest London.

Freemantle indicated through lawyers that she will plead not guilty to the charges when she appears at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 16 June.

Schoolgirls Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau died in July 2023 when a Land Rover smashed through a fence at The Study Prep school, which was celebrating the last day of the summer term.

More than a dozen people were also injured.

The Metropolitan Police said in June 2024 that the driver had suffered an epileptic seizure and would face no criminal charges.

However, prosecutors said Freemantle had never had an epileptic seizure before and was in good health before the crash.

In a statement at the time, she expressed her "deepest sorrow" and claimed to have "no recollection of what took place" after losing consciousness.

But, after concerns were raised by the families of the two young girls, a review of the investigation was carried out and it was decided further examination was required.

Freemantle was arrested for the second time and released under investigation in January last year.

A statement released by her lawyers said there are "serious questions to be answered" over why the decision to charge was reversed.

Separately, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is currently investigating officers for alleged racism in their handling of the case.

The watchdog previously said it was examining allegations that officers provided "false and misleading information" to the families following complaints about the standard of the investigation.

Four serving officers, including a commander and a detective chief inspector, are being investigated for gross misconduct.

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