Jury in Victoria death crash fails to reach verdicts

The prosecution asked for time to consider whether to seek a retrial.

Melissa Burr (Metropolitan Police/PA) (PA Archive)

A jury has failed to reach verdicts in the trial of a bus driver accused over the death of a woman outside London’s Victoria railway station.

Melissa Burr, 32, was propelled into the air and under a parked bus which had been shunted by a vehicle behind driven by Olusofa Popoola.

Ms Burr suffered multiple injuries and died following the rush-hour crash on Terminus Place on the morning of August 10 2021.

Popoola, 60, denied causing her death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury to fellow bus driver Diane Mathuranayagum.

The defendant, from Peckham, south London, had admitted the lesser offence of causing death by careless driving.

A jury at the Old Bailey deliberated for nearly 10 hours but was unable to reach a verdict on which at least 10 of them were agreed.

On Friday afternoon, Judge Rebecca Trowler discharged the jury and granted Popoola continued unconditional bail.

The prosecution asked for time to consider whether to seek a retrial and the judge set a hearing for March 30.