On a warm July afternoon in 2023, a 4x4 ploughed into the grounds of The Study Prep school in Wimbledon, killing two eight-year-old girls and injuring seven others. The driver, Claire Freemantle, 49, has now appeared in court charged with causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. The case has drawn attention not only for its tragic outcome but also for the way the Metropolitan Police initially handled the investigation—first ruling out charges, then reversing that decision after families demanded answers.
The crash happened on the last day of the summer term. Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau, both eight, died at the scene. Also injured were Nuria’s mother Smera Chohan, another mother named Tamsyn Van De Vyver, a third mother, her seven-month-old baby, two eight-year-old girls and a seven-year-old girl. Freemantle faces two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and seven counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
“Explains the 2023 Wimbledon school crash, the legal case, and why it matters for UK drivers.”
In June 2024, Scotland Yard announced that Freemantle had suffered an epileptic seizure at the wheel and would not face criminal charges. But the families of the two girls criticised the police investigation, and in May 2025 the Met reversed its decision, apologising for the way it initially dealt with the incident and the “impact on those affected”. The force said it would be “fundamentally resetting how the Met investigates fatal and serious collisions”. Freemantle’s lawyers have previously said she will plead not guilty.
For UK readers, this case raises important questions about how driving offences involving medical events are investigated and prosecuted. Under current law, a driver who has a sudden medical episode—such as an epileptic seizure—may not be held criminally liable if they had no prior warning. But if the driver knew they were at risk of a seizure and drove anyway, they could face charges of dangerous driving. The Crown Prosecution Service must decide whether the driver’s actions fell far below the standard of a competent and careful driver. In this case, the initial decision not to charge was reversed, but the outcome of the trial will depend on the evidence about Freemantle’s medical condition and her awareness of the risk.
Q: What happened in the Wimbledon school crash? On 7 July 2023, a 4x4 driven by Claire Freemantle crashed into The Study Prep school in Wimbledon during the last day of the summer term. Two eight-year-old girls, Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau, died. Seven other people—including mothers and children—were seriously injured.
Q: Why was the driver initially not charged, and why was that decision reversed? In June 2024, the Metropolitan Police said Freemantle had suffered an epileptic seizure and would face no criminal charges. The girls’ families criticised the investigation, and in May 2025 the Met apologised and reversed its decision, saying it would fundamentally change how it investigates fatal and serious collisions.
Q: What charges does Claire Freemantle face? She faces two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and seven counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. She appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in June 2026, spoke only to confirm her identity, and was released on unconditional bail. Her lawyers have indicated she will plead not guilty.
The case has now been sent to the Old Bailey for a hearing on 14 July 2026. Freemantle remains on unconditional bail until then. The trial is likely to focus on whether her epileptic seizure was foreseeable and whether she should have been driving. Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police is reviewing its training and procedures for investigating collisions involving medical emergencies, a change that could affect how similar cases are handled across the country.