A CATFORD dangerous driver has been jailed for 12 years for killing an 89-year-old grandad after hitting him as he crossed a road in Sydenham.
Kamal Cayenne-Tonge was racing after another car when he hit James Darmody on Kent House Road, near the junction with Sydenham Road, on May 11 last year.
The 25-year-old was trying to overtake the other vehicle when he drove into the wrong lane and crashed into Mr Darmody, Croydon Crown Court heard.
He had been driving at three times the 20mph speed limit in the run-up to the crash.
Cayenne-Tonge, of Scarlet Road, Catford, and his sister-in-law, Neshay Osman James – who was a passenger in the car – stopped at the scene but then lied to police, claiming Mr Darmody had been hit by another vehicle.
The grandad, who lived on Kent House Road, suffered critical injuries and died just over two weeks later in King’s College Hospital.
Gemma White, prosecuting, said: “At just before 5.40pm Mr Cayenne-Tonge was driving his Mercedes north along Kent House Road.
“CCTV showed him clearly following a white Golf at speed, driving in a manner consistent with a pursuit or competitive driving.
“He was travelling in excess of the 20mph speed limit. His vehicle went into the wrong side of the road to go around the pedestrian island.
“Mr Darmody was crossing the road to get to the island when he was struck.”
The prosecutor added that although Cayenne-Tonge stopped at the scene and called the emergency services, he lied about his involvement in the smash.
“He claimed to be an eyewitness to the collision,” Ms White said.
“He told police the white Golf had struck Mr Darmody. He then told police he needed to collect his child and he was allowed to leave the scene.”
Croydon Crown Court heard how Osman James, 24, also lied to police to protect her brother-in-law.
Ms White added: “She repeated and endorsed the account given by Mr Cayenne-Tonge and embellished it further.
“She gave a description of the driver she said was responsible, saying he was a fair skinned caucasian man with spiky hair.”
Police only realised the pair had lied to them when they saw CCTV footage of the cars racing.
At the time of the crash Cayenne-Tonge was already under investigation for a “road rage” incident for which he was later convicted. In that case he had pursued a car, exited his vehicle and then threatened the other driver with a baton.
After the fatal crash on May 11, Cayenne-Tonge was initially charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving, although this was changed to causing death after Mr Darmody passed away in hospital.
He pleaded guilty before a trial could take place but tried to excuse his behaviour by claiming he was rushing to get to the toilet as he was desperate to relieve himself due to his Crohn’s disease. However he dropped this element of his defence on the day of his sentencing.
Cayenne-Tonge’s defence called for the judge to take into account the severe challenges he had faced during his childhood.
They revealed that his father had died when he was a teen and he was bullied at school due to his vitiligo. He also suffered from serious health conditions, including acute kidney failure.
The court heard that Cayenne-Tonge, who shares a child with Osman James’ sister, had “a lot on his plate” at the time of the crash.
His uncle, who had taken on a father-figure role in his life, had just passed away and his grandmother had Alzheimer’s. His defence also insisted he was remorseful for his actions.
Meanwhile, Osman James’ defence team said she had simply made a “terrible misjudgement” to support her brother-in-law.
Cayenne-Tonge was jailed for 12 years for causing death by dangerous driving at Croydon Crown Court on Thursday.
Osman James was handed a 34-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months for perverting the course of justice. She was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.
Mr Darmody’s family welcomed the lengthy sentence dished out to Cayenne-Tonge.
Martina Coady, Mr Darmody’s granddaughter, said: “I think 12 years is fair. He didn’t show any remorse when we were in court.
“No sentence will bring our granddad back but it’s a relief knowing that the justice system is working.”
She was also satisfied with Osman James’ sentence, adding that she had shown some remorse and had just done “something stupid” by lying.
Ms Coady, who described Mr Darmody as her “hero”, described how she had to watch as her grandad battled constant pain in his final two weeks in hospital.
“He had to wear mittens on his hands in hospital as he would wake up and tear out his lines and cannula in distress,” she said.
“I saw him on the day he died. When I entered his room my heart sank as he didn’t look himself. He looked defeated.
“And in the early hours of the morning I got a phone call saying he had died. We went in and stayed with him until the morning.”
The 36-year-old said she was furious as her grandad was previously a fit man, “sharp as a nail” and “seemed invincible” even at 89.
She added: “This was avoidable. He didn’t have to die this way and he didn’t deserve to.”
Ms Coady said she still thinks about how the crash could have been avoided if just one thing happened differently that day – the so-called burnt toast theory.
Under the theory, a tiny misfortune – such as burning a slice of toast – can cause a delay that ends up saving that person’s life.
“I wish my granddad burnt his toast that day,” Ms Coady said.
The granddaughter said she was grateful to Margaret, from Sydenham Catholic Social Club, who sat with Mr Darmody until the ambulance arrived in the aftermath of the incident.
Ms Coady is now calling on Lewisham Council to do more to stop speeding on Kent House Road.
She emailed the council in the aftermath of her grandfather’s death calling for greater road safety measures on Kent House Road, however she did not receive a reply.
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“There are no speed bumps and no cameras on that road, despite several incidents,” she told the Lewisham Letter.
“I want Lewisham Council to put in a deterrent. There’s been numerous accidents and there will be more deaths.
“Do something before other families have to suffer.”
A Lewisham Council spokesman told us their thoughts are with Mr Darmody’s family and they would like to speak to them about road safety measures on Kent House Road.