Mum run over trying to get on bus that left early

A mother was run over and killed by a double decker bus she was trying to get on after it left the stop early, an inquest has heard.

Helaleh Cheraghmakani, known as Hailey, banged on the door to be let in before falling down and under the bus in Nottingham city centre on the morning of 22 October, when she was due to start a new job at Boots.

A collision investigator said it was likely the 34-year-old had been caught by the tyre next to the door as the bus turned left at a junction, causing her to fall.

A coroner found the collision was "unavoidable" because it was dark and the driver would not have seen Hailey, but her husband said he intended to "fight for justice" through the civil courts.

Ramin Dehbandi, Hailey's husband, said: "She was a wonderful wife and mother and I loved her with all my heart.

"To make the incredibly painful situation even worse, our daughter Liana blames me for her mummy not being there, that I am stopping her from coming back, and calls me Daddy Monster.

"She asked me the other day if I would let mummy pick her up one day from nursery and I could not sleep from the sorrow."

Hailey was due to start a new job at Boots in Beeston, Nottinghamshire, the inquest was told.

She was due to start at 06:00 BST, but the inquest at Nottingham Coroner's Court heard she was running late because she had initially been given the wrong start date.

The bus was meant to leave George Street at 06:00, but the driver left 45 seconds early.

The inquest heard this was acceptable within Nottingham City Transport's policies, which allow buses to leave stops up to a minute early.

CCTV footage showed Hailey running down George Street as she tried to catch up with the bus.

The driver, Anthony Watson, had indicated right when he left the bus stop and was still indicating right when he turned left at the junction on to Lower Parliament Street, the inquest heard.

In his statement to police, Mr Watson claimed he had indicated left.

Hailey left the pavement and stepped into the carriageway as she banged the doors.

In his statement, the driver said he had "heard a bang" on the side of the bus but "did not know what what the bang was".

He said he continued to pull out of the junction, but braked when he saw the nearside back wheel going over a person.

The inquest heard Hailey and her husband had been together since they were 18 and were originally from Iran.

They moved to the UK in September 2023, shortly after having their daughter, as they wanted to give her a better future.

In his statement to police, Mr Dehbandi said there were different practices for catching buses in Iran.

"In Iran, if you run for the bus and wave your hands at the bus they often stop; this was common practice," he said.

However, the inquest heard it was against Nottingham City Transport's Conditions of Carriage to let passengers on once a bus had left the stop.

Section 34 states: "Once buses have closed their doors and the driver has signalled to pull away, the bus will not be able to let you board because the driver is committed to re-joining the main traffic flow."

Section 28 also states: "For safety reasons, buses will only stop at recognised bus stops to allow passengers to board."

Police investigated but decided it was not a criminal matter, and an inquest was therefore held.

Assistant coroner Nathanael Hartley concluded Hailey died as a result of a road traffic collision.

He found the driver's failure to indicate left did not have an impact on the collision, as Hailey had caught the bus the day before and knew it turned left at the junction.

He found the collision was "unavoidable" due to the lighting conditions at that time of the morning, and the dark clothing Hailey was wearing, meaning the driver would not have seen her.

He said her cause of death was multiple injuries and she died at the scene.

Daniel Denton, a solicitor from Hodge Jones & Allen representing Mr Dehbandi, said: "This is such an unimaginably tragic case that has devastated the lives of my client and his daughter.

"Their loving wife and mother were snatched away from them and we need answers as to how this could have been allowed to happen.

"We will continue our fight for answers and for justice for Helaleh through the civil courts."

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