A speeding hit-and-run driver who killed student Lizzie Beach-MacGeagh was sentenced to eight months imprisonment today by a judge who described the victim as: "A truly extraordinary young woman."
Bristol University history student Lizzie, 20, was "catapulted into the air" and suffered a fatal brain injury while crossing Netherlands Road, East Barnet, North London at 8:08pm on June 16, last year.
Privately-educated Kensington-born Lizzie spent the early part of her life in Claygate, Surrey before her family moved to Marlbrough, Wiltshire.
Lizzie had only arrived in London two days earlier for work experience with Italian fashion house Moschino.
"Cases of this kind are truly tragic and nothing this court does will mitigate the pain and anguish suffered by Elizabeth's family," said Wood Green Crown Court Judge Simon Carr.
"It is obvious from everything I have read that Elizabeth Beach-MacGeagh was a truly extraordinary young woman, who was only twenty years-old and in her second year at Bristol University.
"She was London for an internship and was out jogging on a beautiful sunset night as part of her normal routine.
"I did read on the internet after the trial many references by many people to Miss Beach-MacGeagh and her obviously promising future."
Driver Aryeris Angelis, 26, of Tewkesbury Terrace, New Southgate, North London, an amateur bodybuilder employed in his family's catering business denied, but was convicted of causing death by careless driving.
He also admitted failing to stop at the scene of an accident, but the jury failed to reach a verdict on one count of perverting the course of justice in relation to him repairing his blue BMW and the CPS will not seek a retrial.
The first-time offender was also disqualified from driving for two years and will have to pass an extended driving test before receiving his licence back.
Detective Sergeant Cheryl Frost of the Road Death Investigation Unit said: "Angelis has demonstrated a complete lack of morals, running a young woman over and just driving off.
"By working with the media and the public we were able to ensure that Angelis was identified, the evidence was available to put before the courts and Angelis has been held to account."
Judge Carr added: "This is a true blind bend, it turns at almost ninety degrees. It is impossible to see around that corner and the road signs indicate that.
"Having approached that turning too fast he did not brake, but accelerated and was travelling in excess of the speed limit.
"He failed to see her even when she was in the road, but for a prudent driver she was there to be seen.
"He must have been aware he suffered a significant impact, but I accept he did not know it was a person and then he drove off."
The Judge also criticised the defendant's decision to fight the charge. "The family of Elizabeth Beach-MacGeagh were put through another year of not knowing the conclusion and being unable to have closure.
"I find the argument that he had sunlight in his eyes nothing to do with the accident. I think it is something Mr. Angelis has latched onto to explain the inexplicable."
Angelis' lawyer Mr. Pavlos Panayi urged the court not to imprison his client explaining: "He has overwhelming shock and sadness at what he has done. His remorse is genuine and real and the victim herself would not want retribution.
"This is quite obviously a most tragic case that involved sad and dreadful circumstances.
"Had he seen her the smallest deviation could have resulted in avoiding her, only a foot or two would have avoided an accident."
Mobile phone records prove Angelis was in the area after the collision and had driven past witness appeal signs confirming the fatality.
He eventually surrendered himself to police after promptings from his father and the vehicle body-shop that repaired his badly-damaged car also raised the alarm.
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