Callous drink-driver, 21, who killed father-of-nine after speeding at 78mph in 20 zone and telling police the victim was a 'd***head' is jailed for nine years

A callous drink-driver, who killed a father-of-nine after speeding at up to 78mph in a 20mph zone, has been jailed for nine years.

Tarnjeet Multani, 21, hit Kishore Kumar Gill while he was crossing the road in Ealing, west London, on his way to work in the early hours of the morning.

The 59-year-old, who had been wearing a hi-vis fluorescent jacket and trousers, was pronounced dead at the scene moments after being struck by Multani's Volkswagen Golf, which had been travelling between 58mph and 78mph along the road.

When questioned by police, Multani, who was drinking whisky and coke just hours before the incident, called Mr Gill a 'f****** d***head'.

Now the 21-year-old will spend nine years in jail after being found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving by an Old Bailey jury. 

The court heard that Multani had been drinking alcohol from 3pm the previous day until 2am.

After he hit Mr Gill at 5.30am on February 15 2022, he continued driving for 280 metres before attempting to do a U-turn when blocked in by another vehicle.

David Croxford, who had crossed Greenford Road just before the victim, said he had noticed the speeding car and tried to warn Mr Gill but it had been too late. 

Twenty minutes later, Multani was stopped by the police when walking down the street, with the officer smelling alcohol on his breath.

Multani failed a breath test and was taken to a police station.

Officers took two further tests where he was found to be 20mg over the legal blood alcohol limit.

Asked by police why he only stopped so far away from hitting Mr Gill, he said the car 'just kept rolling'.

Giving evidence Multani said he was in a state of shock following the incident and did not know what he was saying.

He claimed he was referring to Mr Croxford when he used the phrase 'f****** d***head' while talking to police.

Multani also said he thought he was under the limit despite sharing a bottle of whiskey with friends just a few hours before the collision and that he did not think his driving was affected by alcohol at all.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Kashore Ballard-Kumar, Mr Gill's daughter, said: 'The loss of my father has caused so much pain.

'I had to have counselling, and I had to leave my job because I was unable to commit to it.

'My father supported me, guided me and financially helped me.

'I can’t believe that someone would be so thoughtless as to get into a car drunk and take someone’s life.

'Things will never be the same.'

Judge Richard Marks KC said: 'Mr Gill had nine children. I have had read to me a number of victim impact statements by members of his family.

'All of his family understandably heartbroken and distraught at the untimely death of someone who was a much loved and respected head of a tight-knit family.

'No sentence I impose can undo their grief or alleviate their pain.'

The judge referred to Multani's evidence that he thought the speed limit was 30mph.

'In my judgement that is one of a number of deliberate lies you told in evidence.

'There were a number of signs on the road that meant that it could not have been clearer that the limit was 20.

'The fact that you were driving at all given that you had been drinking coupled with the speed at which you drove was an act of extreme irresponsibility and selfishness.'