Louisa Palmisano: Van driver admits causing girl’s death in crash

A van driver who took “at least 20 lines of cocaine” in the hours before he hit a tram and then a three-year-old girl has pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

Louisa Palmisano, known as Lulu, died in hospital after she was struck while walking holding hands with her parents on Mosely Street during a family visit to Manchester on 22 February.

Rawal Rehman, 35, of Lambton Road, Manchester, admitted causing her death by dangerous driving in his Mercedes Sprinter van.

Prosecutor Rachel Shenton told Manchester Crown Court Rehman had taken the drugs and visited two massage parlours in the city in the early morning of the incident.

Rehman fled the scene at about 10:00 GMT before he was later arrested.

He later claimed to have “panicked”, a Crown Prosecution Service spokesman said.

Ms Shenton told the court he had taken at least 20 lines of cocaine in seven hours.

Judge Alan Conrad KC heard it would be the prosecution’s case that Rehman’s driving was adversely affected by his consumption of controlled drugs.

Rehman was remanded in custody until sentencing on 27 May.

In 2017, Rehman was jailed for three years for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice after he torched a car involved in a fatal hit-and-run collision which killed a 25-year-old man in the Chorlton area of the city.

Louisa’s family from Burnley, Lancashire, said: “Louisa (Lulu) was the sweetest, kindest, and most generous little girl.

“Her absence has left a devastating void in our family. She was our only child, our whole world.”