Nigerian migrant who failed UK driving tests kills pensioner in car crash

A Nigerian migrant who twice failed his UK driving test killed a pensioner in a horror crash after exploiting a learner licence loophole, an inquest has heard.

Timothy Kusemi, 41, was driving unsupervised on a provisional licence when he hit 70-year-old Susan Whittles in 2023. She died at the scene and her husband was seriously injured.

Kusemi admitted causing death by dangerous driving last month and was jailed for six years.

The case exposed a legal loophole allowing some overseas drivers to remain on UK roads while holding foreign or provisional licences.

Coroner Lorraine Harris said: “If a national of a non-designated country fails any number of driving tests within the 12-month period, they are still able to revert and rely on their 12-month limit to drive on their foreign/international licence in the UK, despite not meeting the safety standards.”

She warned there was no system to stop repeat test failures from continuing to drive unsupervised and called for urgent law changes.

Kusemi arrived in the UK in 2022 and failed his driving tests twice before the fatal crash, the inquest heard.

He later went on to fail more tests before eventually getting a UK licence in 2025.

Vanguard News