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'Missed taxi' leads to sentencing deferral in Simmone case
THE case of a man convicted over the death of teenager Simmone Hedges is still without resolution after the final court date descended into a farce.
Rati Suladze, 35, of The Larches, Hillingdon, was set to be sentenced today (Wednesday) after being convicted of failing to stop and failing to report an accident after Simmone was run over and killed on November 21 last year.
Three weeks ago Suladze, originally from Georgia, was found guilty at Hendon Magistrate's Court and sentencing was adjourned so a pre-sentence report could be compiled by the probation service about him.
However, in court this afternoon it emerged that Suladze had failed to attend his meeting with the probation service.
This was admitted by Suladze who blamed missing the appointment on his taxi failing to turn up.
His legal representative Mr Ormstin admitted that his excuse was 'unsatisfactory' but asked the Magistrate, chair of the bench Susan Riddle, for leniency.
Magistrates were advised that they would not be able to pass sentence without the report, part of which considers how well the defendant co-operates with the probation services, and they were advised to adjourn the case.
Sentencing has been adjourned a month and will now take place at 2pm on Monday January 11th, and Suladze was placed on conditional bail, and told he must turn up for his meetings with the probation service without exception.
The Magistrates apologised to the family of Simmone Hedges who was 19 and living at Brampton Road, Hillingdon, when she died, for the unexpected complication to a 'harrowing and tragic case.'
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total farce is an understatement. It has been proved this man actuallly drove over my nice which subsiquently caused her death. Why hasn't he been charge with causing her death. From the start this man has shown Simmones family no remorce for his actions. He couldn't even be bothered to turn up for the first day of his trial, "what court case" he told the police, how may does he have going on, doesn't it matter to him that he has left a family devestated by his actions.Time after time the family and friends have attended court feeling like we are going to Simmones funeral all over again yet Mr Suadze, The CPS, The police and court have let us down, never once considering us. This man has come to our country for a better way of life thats for sure because in his own country he would have been locked away and the key thrown away. this man has destroyed a family, our lives will never be the same again and my sister will may well never know why her beloved daughter was in the street that night. Maybe if he had stopped an called an ambulance Minnie would be still here. Thank you Mr suladze you have destoyed not one life that tragic night but several