The son of a 95-year-old woman who was killed by a reversing lorry is campaigning to close a legal loophole that allowed the driver to walk free from court. Greta Zoob was struck and killed by a tipper lorry in May 2023 shortly after leaving her block of flats at Greenwich Millennium Village in southeast London. The driver, initially unaware of the incident, drove approximately 45 meters with Ms. Zoob under the vehicle. She was transported to a hospital, where she died a week later from injuries described by staff as unsurvivable even for a younger person.
Ms. Zoob's son, Jonathan, is advocating for changes to the law after the driver was released without punishment. The driver was charged with causing death by careless driving under Section 2B of the Road Traffic Act 1988, which pertains to driving without due care and attention on a "road or other public place." However, the driver's legal team successfully argued that Greenwich Millennium Village, despite being home to approximately 2,800 residents and having vehicle access controlled by a concierge and barrier, did not meet the legal definition of a "public place" or "road."
This argument led to the charge being dismissed by a judge in 2024. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) sought permission to appeal the decision, but this was denied at the High Court. Mr. Justice Murray reportedly criticized the CPS for a "mistaken understanding" regarding the definition of a public place, stating that access by the public, rather than actual usage, was insufficient to meet the legal threshold.
Jonathan Zoob expressed shock at the outcome, telling The Times that while his family is not motivated by revenge, there should be a public acknowledgment that the driver's actions were wrong and that consequences should follow. He fears that similar incidents may occur on private and council estates if the law is not clarified, potentially sending a message that unsafe driving in such areas will go unpunished.
A CPS spokesperson acknowledged the tragic nature of the case and stated that prosecutors did everything possible to bring the complex case to trial. The spokesperson confirmed that the issue of whether the collision site qualified as a public place impacted the applicability of the law. The CPS also noted that they had kept Ms. Zoob's family informed throughout the proceedings and offered to discuss the ruling further.