Rabbi Gets 8-Year Driving Ban For Mowing Down Two Pedestrians

Rabbi Berisch leaving Harrow Crown Court

A Rabbi, who lost control of a powerful Jag while parking it for an elderly lady - mowing down two pedestrians and demolishing a pharmacy - has received an eight-year driving ban.  

Ralph Berisch, 75, of Woodstock Avenue, Golders Green was sentenced to twenty-two months imprisonment, suspended for two years and ordered to complete sixty hours community service work.

He was captured on CCTV carrying one terrified man, 44, who thought he was going to die, on the bonnet of the car and colliding with an OAP, 79, who made what he thought was a final prayer.

A Harrow Crown Court jury unanimously convicted Berisch of two counts of causing serious injury while driving dangerously in Golders Green Road on March 28, 2018. 

He lost control of the lady’s car after agreeing to help her park it and kosher butcher David Richards suffered 13 fractures to his left leg and pensioner Simon Elkouby also received a leg break and broken toe.

“When asked for help you agreed and the roads and pavements were busy as Passover approached,” Judge Rosa Dean told the rabbi.

“You did not pause as you should have done to adjust the seat and familiarise yourself with a car far more powerful then yours. A car in the wrong hands is a lethal weapon.

“You reversed the car at speed, you put too much pressure on the accelerator and crashed into the car behind you. You should have paused, but you put it into drive and pressed the accelerator.

“This was very bad driving. The distressing footage clearly shows the devastation you caused and it is a miracle no-one was killed. Two people suffered serious injury and the shop was destroyed.

“Maybe because it was glass-fronted their lives were spared. I shudder to think what would have happened to those two men if it was a wall.

Rabbi mowing down pedestrians

“One onlooker thought a terror attack was unfolding and Mr. Richards still walks with a limp, needs a crutch and cannot walk long distances and I salute his remarkable stoicism and he holds no bitterness towards you.”

Over £70,000 of damage was done to ‘Victoria Pharmacy’ and the Jag remains damaged in a pound. 

“Mr. Elkouby said what he thought were his final prayers while trapped under the car and he suffered broken bones and severe bruising.

“I accept this was a dreadful accident and I accept you are sorry although I don’t think you have really taken responsibility for your actions and you were not a particularly impressive witness,” the judge told Berisch.”

The rabbi resumed driving short distances to his synagogue and to local shops three months after the incident, but this was criticised by the Judge Dean. “That you continued to drive some time after I think was unwise.”    

Although his own vehicle, a Toyota Yaris was also an automatic the X-type Jag was over twice as powerful and the rabbi lost control in a few seconds.

Mr. Richards said: “I heard a really, really loud excessive revving behind me and the next thing I was on the bonnet, hurtling at speed.

“I thought I was going to die and at the last second it swerved into a pharmacy. I realised my leg was broken and everything was blurry.

“I know the Rabbi behind the wheel, he is a good man it was one hundred per cent and accident and he will be suffering. It has effected my life, but I’m happy to be alive.”

Seconds from disaster: Berisch at the wheel

Mr. Elkouby saw the car coming toward him, but did not have time to avoid being struck and carried into the pharmacy.

He later told police: “A car came across the pavement and hit me directly as I tried to escape. I lost consciousness and woke up under the car and said a prayer as I thought I was going to die.”

An obviously distressed Berisch told police on the scene: “I put the car in drive, I don’t know what happened. It took off, I couldn’t control it.”

His lawyer Rachna Gokani told the court: “He wants the court to know how sorry he is for what happened and at the scene he was asking how were the injured individuals.

“Both men have been warm and kind and generous toward him and Rabbi Berisch visited the pharmacy and apologised to the owner.

“For six months his family say he was a shell of himself and depressed. He was trying to help someone he knew.

“He accepts he must be punished for these serious offences and community service gives him the chance to give back to the community he has harmed.”