A former EastEnders star fled to Dubai after tragically killing England cricket ace Gus Atkinson’s mum in a horror car crash.
Youssef Berouain, 31, was jailed for eight and a half years on July 26 – the day the Surrey fast bowler was celebrating four for 67 against the West Indies at Edgbaston. It was the end of a four-year legal fight to bring the actor to justice, after his actions took the life of 55-year-old mum-of-three Caroline Atkinson on December 10, 2020.
The killer driver flew to Dubai in the aftermath of the 60mph smash in a bid to cover up his eventual destination, the United States. He was finally extradited back to the UK after court hearings in London and Los Angeles, requiring United States Marshals and officials at the British Embassy in Washington to intervene.
The details of the shocking case have only now come to light following an investigation by the Daily Telegraph, which revealed how Berouain, whose acting credits also include Doctors and the 9/11 mini series The Looming Tower, tried to escape the authorities. Southwark Crown Court heard that police alleged Berouain was doing twice the speed limit in a 30mph zone.
Officers who arrested the driver said they could smell cannabis and he was acting erratically before refusing to undergo roadside testing. His victim had ordered an Uber, a Toyota Prius, in Fulham at around 10.20pm.
But the car was struck by an Audi Q7 being driven by Berouain, who had been accelerating “quickly” and using a bus lane to pass other traffic in the moments before the collision. Caroline died two hours later from her injuries.
Berouain, whose behaviour was described as “erratic” when arrested, refused to undergo a roadside breath test or to give blood or urine samples at Hammersmith Police Station. When interviewed by police, he claimed he was driving between 20-30mph and could not avoid the Uber.
The actor was released on police bail and then bailed again while under investigation, but on January 28, 2021 he left the country from Heathrow Airport, flying to the United States via Dubai. This was only discovered by police seven months later when an officer visited his address in London to serve charge papers for failing to provide a specimen.
(Image: Popperfoto via Getty Images)
He was arrested in the States on July 20, 2021, before a legal process began that saw him finally extradited in September of last year. Berouain eventually pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving this summer.
Berouain, who appeared in eight episodes of EastEnders playing Tayo, a teenage gang member, in 2013, was described in court documents as a “working actor”. His agent said he had “featured in various roles on TV and film and everyone always speaks very highly of his attitude, positive personality and work ethic”.
The judge imposed an eight-and-a-half year prison term for causing Caroline’s death and a concurrent sentence of three years for causing serious injury to her friend, who was also a passenger in the car and spent 20 days in hospital recovering from her injuries. Once released from prison, he will begin a three-year road ban.
Atkinson, 26, cemented his status as one of the leading players of the next generation with two historic individual performances at Lord’s, taking 12 wickets on his Test debut in July – the best by an England debutant since 1890 – and a century against Sri Lanka last week to become one of only six cricketers to appear on both honours boards.
“Extremely proud. She would have loved to have been here,” he said when asked what his mother would have made of his 118 on day two of the second Sri Lanka Test.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
