Woman sentenced for Dudley hit and run which killed man

A "calculated" woman has been given a suspended sentence for a hit and run which killed a pedestrian.

The 69-year-old man died in hospital the day after being struck by Nishaben Mistry's BMW on Havacre Lane, Coseley, on the evening of 15 December.

Mistry, 37, of Butterley Drive, Loughborough, admitted failing to stop after an accident, at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on 6 July.

She received a 17-week sentence, suspended for two years.

She was also ordered to complete 240 hours' unpaid work and banned from driving for 12 months.

West Midlands Police investigations showed Mistry initially drove home, living in the area at the time, then returned to the location on foot.

She saw police cars, but believing she had hit a bush, thought it was nothing to do with her and returned home, police said.

An examination of her phone later found she subsequently searched the internet for information about hit-and-run police procedures after a crash.

Meanwhile, officers analysed CCTV footage and traced Mistry's vehicle to her address, where she was arrested the same evening.

Acknowledging the sentence appeared short, detectives explained they found no evidence to support a charge of dangerous or careless driving.

"A comprehensive investigation and a detailed reconstruction by a forensic collision investigator showed that Mistry only had one second to react to the pedestrian as he was masked from view," said Det Sgt Paul Hughes.

Despite this, Mistry's internet searches showed "a clear and premeditated process," added Mr Hughes.

"In passing sentence the court found that the searches in particular betrayed her state of mind as 'calculating rather than panicked'," he said.

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