Linda Boore (Image: Warwickshire Police)

Driver avoids jail after fatal collision with grandmother as loved ones tell of 'emotional toll'

by · Birmingham Live

The daughter of a woman killed in a death crash has told of the family's 'emotional toll'. Driver Redi Muzhaki avoided a jail sentence after the death of grandmother Linda Boore.

The 75-year-old and her husband, who was driving a Honda CRV, were driving home to Nottingham from a wedding reception when Muzhaki collided head on with them in a grey Vauxhall Astra. That contained two other men, on the A46, near Billesley, at Redhill, at around 8pm, on October 14, last year.

Mrs Boore's husband was also seriously injured by careless/inconsiderate driving in the collision. All five people suffered serious injuries and were taken to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, where Mrs Boore sadly later died.

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Muzhaki, 22, from Coventry, was sentenced to 18 months-imprisonment, suspended for two years. He was also banned from driving for two-years following the hearing at Warwick Crown Court on December 13.

He must also comply with the terms of a 25 day Rehabilitation Activity requirement, carry out 200 hours of unpaid supervised work and pay £187 victim surcharge.

Warwickshire Police said the following extracts are taken from the emotional statement made by Mrs Boore’s daughter Nicola. She said: "On Thursday 12th October 2023, I spoke to my mum on the phone, just like we did several times a week, sometimes several times a day. As we ended the call, I wished them a good time at the wedding they were attending on Saturday and said speak to you on Sunday. That would be the last time I would ever hear her voice.

"The overwhelming nature of losing someone so suddenly and without warning is one that has been and continues to be a daily struggle for me.

On Saturday 14th October, I drove alone for over an hour from my home in Nottingham to Coventry hospital, not knowing if my parents were dead or alive as the officer that knocked on my door that evening could not give me any information.

The following few weeks were filled with many near death moments for my mum. She was sedated from the moment I first arrived so I never saw her awake. I slept on hospital chairs and benches, sat in my car crying in the car park. My days were spent moving between critical care with my mum and the various wards my dad was on receiving treatment for his large injury list. I’m an only child so there was just me there taking all of this on, hearing the words and making the decisions that we don’t want to hear.

"I suddenly had no income due initially to my every day being spent at Coventry hospital and latterly taking care of my dad when he got home. His physical injuries prevented him taking care of himself when he returned home and he was dealing with mental and emotional trauma too.

"The emotional toll of hearing that my mum would never recover due to the extent of her injuries and we would have to let her go was heightened further by then having to tell other people. I had to tell my dad, I had to tell my young children and I had to tell many family members and friends.

Losing someone is one thing, but having someone taken away by the actions of another is something else entirely. My dad had his wife of 54 years taken from him. I had a wonderful, kind mum taken from me and my children had an amazing, caring grandmother taken from them.

"I have sought counselling to try and help with the trauma of that time and all that has come after. I still struggle to sleep. I have a carrier bag in the corner of my bedroom that the hospital sent me home with me. I cannot open it again but cannot seem to do anything with it. It contains my mum’s cut and bloodstained clothing and the jewellery they cut from her.

"There are some days that I still cannot quite believe this has all happened. Most days however, it is just pure sadness and an overwhelming sense of injustice that my parents were innocently travelling home safely when the split second actions of another stole my mums life from her and changed so many others."

Speaking after the sentence PC Drew Ballantyne said “Mrs Boore and her husband deserved to enjoy their retirement. Instead, they were hit by an uninsured, un-licenced, careless driver who had no consideration for their safety. Redi MUZHAKI’s driving fell well below what would be expected of a competent and careful driver and after serving his sentence, he will remain disqualified until an extended test of competence has been passed.“