Rawal Rehman was jailed for 12 years for killing Lulu Palmisano after crashing into a tram in ManchesterRawal Rehman, left, was jailed for 12 years after causing the death of Louisa Palmisano(Image: Greater Manchester Police)
A cocaine-fuelled driver has been jailed after killing a three-year-old girl in a horror van-tram crash.
Rawal Rehman, 36, had been on an all-night binge in Manchester city centre in February this year, spending over 10 hours in various massage parlours, before getting behind the wheel of his work van. He then collided with Louisa Palmisano and her parents, who were on a family day out together.
Lulu was holding the hands of both her parents when Rehman’s van careered into them after hitting a tram. Passers-by, including a doctor, rushed to help the little girl but she had suffered fatal head injuries.
Rehman immediately fled the scene, as Lulu’s mother was heard to shout ‘Look what you have done’.
Rachel Shenton, prosecuting, told Manchester Crown Court that on February 22, at around 10am, Renzo Palmisano, Pilar Rivera and daughter Lulu were walking along Moseley Street towards Piccadilly, both holding their daughter’s hand. She was also wearing a baby harness, which was held by her mum, the court heard.
“They saw a tram coming in their direction on the opposite side of the road and stopped to watch it as Lulu hadn’t seen many trams before,” said Ms Shenton.
Louisa Palmisano(Image: GMP)
“She then saw a van coming across the path of the tram. It appeared to Mrs Rivera that the van accelerated to try and miss the tram.”
The van was then suddenly ‘propelled’ towards the family, dragging Lulu under the van. She described the van going over her daughter “more than once” and said it was a sight she lives with everyday.
Tram driver, Adnan Haider, was driving along Moseley Street towards the junction of Nicholas Street at a speed below the 15mph limit.
“He sounded the tram’s whistle as he approached Nicholas Street to warn traffic of his presence and took extra care to look down Nicholas Street to check for traffic, there were no vehicles visible,” Ms Shenton continued.
“Out of his left side peripheral vision he saw the defendant’s van travelling towards him at speed, before Mr Haider could react, the van struck the tram.”
He immediately applied the hazard brake, then saw that the tram had struck the middle back area of the van, which had mounted the pavement on the Booth Street side of the junction.
Fortunately, none of the 10 tram passengers were injured, and Mr Haider safely helped them disembark.
One witness saw the van driving ‘fairly fast’ past the stop sign. Another said the brake lights were ‘never applied’ before the collision. Another witness told Rehman to stay in the van, but he got out of the passenger side and left saying ‘how sorry he was’.
Lulu’s father managed, after three attempts, to lift the van to free his daughter, whilst her mum called an ambulance. The little girl was rushed to hospital, but despite the best efforts of medical staff, she sadly died.
A priest came and gave a blessing and Lulu’s parents stayed and held her hand as she passed away, the court heard.
‘We carry that pain every day’
In an emotional victim impact statement, her parents said: “Lulu was our only child and remains the heart of our family. She was full of life, curiosity, and love—her presence lit up every room, and her absence has left a silence that words cannot fill.
“Her loss has changed every part of our world, and we carry that pain with us each day.
“The three of us were standing together, holding hands, waiting on the pavement to carefully cross the street. In the blink of an eye, everything changed.
“We were run over by a van, and our lives were turned upside down by something so sudden and devastating that we still struggle to comprehend it.
“That single moment shattered our sense of safety, our routines, and the path we thought lay ahead. The emotional pain that followed has become a constant companion, woven into every part of our daily lives.”
Police investigations revealed that Rehman had spent seven hours and 21 minutes at the Ladybird Massage Parlour in Didsbury, where he was observed by one sex worker taking 20 lines of cocaine in a three-hour period.
Rawal Rehman(Image: Greater Manchester Police)
He had also described himself as having ‘a bit of a blow-out’. He was asked to leave at 6am, but refused until all the other customers had left.
He then drove to Tropical Palms massage parlour in the city centre where he stayed for three hours and 25 minutes, and left 10 minutes before the collision. He would later tell a probation officer that he had taken more cocaine at the second establishment.
He was arrested two days later and accepted being the driver but denied driving dangerously. He has since admitted causing death by dangerous driving.
The van was examined and did not have an MOT, and was deemed ‘unroadworthy’.
Rehman, who had previously served a prison sentence after he torched a car involved in another fatal crash, was said to be working as a self-employed courier at the time.
Defending, David Toal described the case as ‘genuinely tragic’.
“Nothing I say is intended to increase their [the family of Lulu] pain and suffering,” he said.
“This tragic incident was caused by a failure of this defendant to adhere to the stop sign. The defendant does accept full responsibility.”
He said that Rehman ‘simply panicked’ after the collision when he fled the scene, and was left in ‘total shock’ after finding out about Lulu’s death on social media.
“He is the author of his own misfortune. He wishes to apologise to the family,” he added.
‘His callous actions have changed a family forever’
Sentencing, Judge Alan Conrad KC said: “There could easily have been more casualties.
“Lulu in her short life brought enormous joy to those who knew and loved her. Her death and the manner of her death has caused continuing and lasting heartbreak on her family.
“No sentence I pass can begin to equate the loss of her young life. As well, those who witnessed the spectacle, in particular the tram driver, who had no chance to avoid the collision.”
Rehman, of Booth Street, was jailed for 12 years and banned from driving for over 13 years.
Detective Inspector Andrew Page, of GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “We extend our deepest condolences to Lulu’s family during this incredibly difficult time. What they have had to go through as a family is incomprehensible.
“This was a tragic incident in which a young girl sadly lost her life. Instead of facing up to the consequences of his actions, Rehman decided to flee the scene and avoided the authorities for two days.
“In his police interview, he accepted that he had been driving at the time of the collision but claimed his driving had not been dangerous. When asked about fleeing the scene, he claimed to have panicked.
“Rehman’s callous actions on that fatal day have changed a family’s lives forever. This tragedy was completely avoidable and Rehman must now face the consequences of his actions.”