Bus driver killed schoolboy while jumping red light to take his break

Paul Manu, 63, was driving his empty double-decker back to the depot when he ran over Mario Radulescu, 16 (Picture: Google/Central News)

A bus driver who killed a schoolboy while trying to jump a red light to take his break sobbed as he apologised to his victim’s family after being jailed. 

Paul Manu, 63, was driving his empty double-decker back to the depot when he ran over Mario Radulescu, 16, in Northolt, north-west London, at around 8pm on December 17, 2021. 

He saw the light had turned from green to amber but instead of slowing down, he put his foot down to try and speed through the junction before the other traffic. 

Mario, who was originally from Romania and studied at St Dominic’s Sixth Form College in Harrow-on-the-Hill, was hit when he started walking across as the light turned red. 

Shocked passers-by tried to hoist the vehicle off the stricken schoolboy after he became trapped underneath, but nothing could be done to save him, and he died at the scene. 

Last month, Manu, of Ruislip, west London, admitted causing the teenager’s death by dangerous driving. He was jailed for two and a half years on Thursday. 

He sobbed uncontrollably in the dock of the Old Bailey with his hands clasped in prayer as the court heard he cannot close his eyes without seeing visions of the accident. 

Prosecutor Frederick Hookway told the court Manu was more than five seconds from the crossing when the lights turned amber. 

He had accelerated to 26mph in the 20mph zone to ‘run the lights’ and hit Mario 2.4 seconds after they had turned red. 

Mr Hookway said: ‘The defendant was in effect running the lights and he only applied the brakes when Mario was in the road.’ 

The court heard Manu tried to shift the bus off Mario’s body and was sobbing hysterically when the police arrived, wailing: ‘I hit him. I hit him.’ 

The prosecutor added: ‘He fell to the floor jumped up and down on the spot, then attempted to run away from the ambulance, shouting “I want to die”.’ 

Manu insisted the lights had been amber and claimed Mario did not look up when he crossed because he was on his mobile. But CCTV evidence proved he was lying. 

He had been cautioned twice at work in the months before the accident for undertaking a car and hitting a fence with the wing mirror. 

In a victim impact statement, Mario’s father Marian said his son was ‘truly remarkable’, adding: ‘His kind nature endeared him to everyone he encountered. 

‘He always had a cheeky smile on his face and a positive attitude. The pain and anguish we experienced on the day of a tragedy are beyond words. 

‘We feel we are stuck in this never-ending nightmare. We are left with a huge void in our lives, living without purpose or meaning.’ 

Mario’s father Marian said his son was ‘truly remarkable’ (Picture: Central News/Web Collect)

Mario’s mother Nicolette said: ‘I ask the court to think of the second of sheer fear on Mario Robert’s face in the last second of his life. I think about this moment every day of my life. 

‘Mr Manu did not kill just Mario Robert. He killed the entire family.’ 

She said she sometimes goes to Mario’s school hoping he will come through the gates but always leaves in floods of tears. 

Manu asked for a statement to be read by his lawyer Oliver Renton in which he said: ‘I would like to apologise for the terrible accident that happened. 

‘I know that this will not bring your son back, and I am hating myself for this. I never thought that I would be in this situation in my life. 

‘I hope for your forgiveness even though I don’t deserve it.’ 

He said that he cannot close his eyes without thinking about that night. 

‘To be honest, I don’t know what to do with my life,’ he said. ‘I can’t even close my eyes without thinking of it.’ 

Manu bowed tearfully to Mario’s family as he was led from the dock and sobbed: ‘Sorry, sorry.’ 

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Paul Manu, 63, was driving his empty double-decker back to the depot when he ran over Mario Radulescu, 16, in northwest London.