An Indian-origin businessman was on Wednesday cleared of causing the death of his wife and son during an accident involving a car he was driving in Leicester city last year.
Rashminder Singh Gill was found not guilty of causing the deaths of his wife, 36-year-old Amrit Gill, and 14-year-old son Taran, by driving carelessly by a jury at Leicester Crown Court.
Gill's daughter, then aged 10, was also in the car at the time of the accident and was injured but survived the crash.
"Finally, I'm glad it's over. I finally feel I can grieve properly about my losses. Last year, and half of this, has been a nightmare. I can't even begin to explain," Gill told 'Leicester Mercury' after the verdict.
"I've had no sleep and couldn't think straight at times.
I've been trying to bring up my 11-year-old daughter and make sure she's been okay – it's not been easy. I run my own business and have staff to consider. My work and my daughter are the only things that have kept me sane and busy. I feel so relieved by the verdicts," he said.
The collision had occurred on the night of January 29 last year and the jury was told that the road surface was hazardous.
A blocked drain was unable to cope with the deluge and caused a trail of water to traverse both lanes on the unlit dual carriageway leading back to the Gills' home in Leicester.
Gill was driving back with his family in the torrential rain from a meal out and the prosecution claimed his speed was too much given the weather conditions.
His Mercedes went out of control before colliding with an oncoming Audi.
A pregnant passenger in the Audi suffered multiple fractures and lost the near full-term baby she was expecting.
Her husband and their two-year-old daughter were not seriously hurt.
The court heard that it was not possible to calculate the speed Gill was travelling, although he was not said to have been exceeding the 50mph speed limit, which has since been reduced to 40mph.
Gill, who breath-tested negative for alcohol, had no recollection of the collision afterwards.
He said to a police officer at the scene that his wife, in the front passenger seat, had grabbed his shoulder or the steering wheel as the car started to skid.
The defence argued that the jury could not be sure that had not, in fact, caused the loss of control and collision.
