Justice on the roads

Sunday November 6, 2005. Ivan Mazour, the son of a Russian billionaire, driving one of the fastest production cars ever made, reached speeds of 90 mph in central London. He lost control of the vehicle with fatal consequences. The investigation that followed saw justice overcome the influences of wealth and one of the best solicitors in the country. Damian Small reports.

The Mazour case is just one of three that will be presented at the National Road Death Investigation conference, May 8-9, at Wyboston Lakes, Bedfordshire.

Much more than a routine investigation, the Mazour case was complex. It involved witness protection and saw the influences of money try to put aside the scales of justice.

Mazour’s Mitsubishi Evolution VIII hurtled across the central reservation in London’s Piccadilly underpass and crashed into a BMW head on.

The 22-year-old was more than two times the drink-drive limit and had been smoking cannabis before he lost control of his sports car.

Mazour’s best friend, Charlie Green, 21, was seated next to him and died almost immediately. Mr Green’s fiancée, Dookie Groves, 21, who was in the back of the vehicle, escaped with minor injuries.

“The five passengers in the BMW all suffered horrendous injuries as a result of the accident,” said Detective Sergeant Jeff Redpath of the Met’s Vehicle Homicide Team.

Mazour faced arrest but due to his injuries remained in hospital for four weeks. Once discharged from hospital, Mazour was finally interviewed but claimed he could remember nothing related to the accident due to a bump on the head.

“Although he remembered leaving the club, he conveniently didn’t recall the drinking, smoking cannabis and the speed at which he was driving,” said DS Redpath.

Mazour’s father, Ivan Mazour Snr, is in the ranks of Russia`s super-rich following the privatisation of the country’s oil and gas industry. His money hired the services of probably the best traffic solicitor in the country, Nick Freeman, a celebrity lawyer dubbed ‘Mr Loophole’ for his ability to get top names such as David Beckham and Sir Alex Ferguson off the hook when facing driving charges.

“Mazour was interviewed under caution and charged with causing death through dangerous driving,” said DS Redpath.

“On the first day of the hearing at Bow Street Magistrates Court, the defence we faced was formidable. Mr ‘Loophole’ Freeman and his right hand man known as ‘the Bulldog’ were present alongside a well held barrister, Mr David Fish.”

Facing them was a CPS representative with only 16 cases of experience. “I feared the case would degenerate into a farce,” added DS Redpath.

A hearing wasn’t planned until two months time, which gave the very capable defence ample time to prepare for the case.

“We faced all sorts of problems,” said DS Redpath, “especially related to the wealth of the Mazour family.

“There were suggestions that paperwork would go missing and I was concerned at the lack of security at West End Central criminal justice unit (CJU); only a locked filing cabinet was offered to me.

“As a result, the case papers were lodged by myself at the CPS offices at Ludgate Hill.”

Meanwhile, a private detective was assigned to locate Ms Groves, who was found to be residing in Singapore. “She was a credible witness and without her the case against Mazour would have been far less strong,” said DS Redpath.

Ms Groves was put under 24-hour guard in Singapore and DS Redpath’s only liaison with the witness was through several different mobile phone numbers. Around a year later, Ms Groves agreed to come to the UK and attend court.

“Once the defence knew that the significant witness would appear in court it decided to enter a plea of guilty,” said DS Redpath.

The judge accepted the plea but wasn’t prepared to sentence for a week.

A day-long bail application followed whereby the defence wished to continue the bail. The judge, however, decided that Mazour should beg