A woman named Claire Freemantle, 49, faced court for the first time after being involved in a tragic incident where her 4×4 vehicle crashed into a primary school, resulting in the deaths of two eight-year-old girls and injuries to several others. The incident occurred in July 2023 at The Study Prep school in Wimbledon, South West London, during an outdoor tea party marking the end of term.
During her appearance at Westminster Magistrates Court, Freemantle, accused of two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and seven counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, provided her personal details but did not enter pleas. She appeared tearful in a black trouser suit and was allowed to sit behind her barrister due to concerns about triggering an epileptic attack, as her barrister revealed she had experienced a recent seizure.
Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring instructed that all charges against Freemantle be forwarded to the Crown Court, setting a date for her appearance at the Central Criminal Court on July 14th. Failure to attend would result in an arrest warrant being issued. The Metropolitan Police later issued an apology for their handling of the incident and its impact, pledging to revamp their approach to investigating fatal and serious collisions.