A Somalian bus driver who killed a grandmother when his bus ploughed into three generations of the same family was jailed for four years today.

Ismail Ahmed, 43, of Emerald Square, Southall, had denied causing death by dangerous driving, but was found guilty at Kingston Crown Court last month.

The 65-year-old woman was with her 35-year-old daughter and two-year-old granddaughter when they were hit by Ahmed's bus at Mortlake bus station on April 25 last year.

The toddler had half her leg amputated after the crash, which was caused when Ahmed became frustrated because he could not find a parking space for his single-decker bus.

In the trial the 35-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: "I don't know where it came from.

"I was behind the barrier and I was squashed against the barrier with my left leg up and my right leg under the bus.

"I think to mount the kerb and hit us with such a ferocious manner, I have always anticipated the bus was moving from stationary to 60mph."

She explained she saw her mum fall and said: "I said, Mummy don't die'."

Speaking through an interpreter, father-of-four Ahmed then said: "I'm not that sure how it happened but my foot slipped from the accelerator pedal and got under the brake pedal.

"I did not succeed in moving my foot out of the position it got in.

"My heel got on top of the accelerator, that's why the bus moved more than I wanted."

Today's proceedings were halted for around 15 minutes when the mum ran out of court crying.

Ahmed was given four years for the dangerous driving charge and three years for each of the two counts of GBH to run concurrently.

Judge Susan Matthews told him he must serve two years.

The judge said: "I assess competent ability as a momentary act of reckless. Dangerous driving that is falling below that of a competent careful driver.

"It's arising out of impatience, frustration and complete discard for the safety of others."

See next week's Richmond and Twickenham Times for the full story.