Ex-Eastenders actor Youssef Berouain jailed after killing England cricket star Gus Atkinson's mum and fleeing country

Youssef Berouain, 31, has been sentenced to eight-and-a-half years for his involvement in the car crash which killed 55-year-old Caroline Atkinson, the mother of England cricketer Gus Atkinson. Berouain was sentenced earlier this summer - at the exact same time the promising young cricket star broke the record for the most wickets in a maiden test.

Berouain, who also starred in the award-winning Hulu series The Looming Tower, was convicted of killing Ms Atkinson by dangerous driving, as well as causing serious injury to another passenger, after he smashed his Audi Q7 into an Uber Ms Atkinson was traveling in as she made her way home from a Christmas night out.

He had been travelling at 60mph in a 30mph zone in Fulham, South West London on December 10, 2020. Ms Atkinson was declared dead two hours after the crash occurred.

When arrested by police, Berouain, who played teen gang member Tayo during a 2013 Eastenders stint, refused to provide a roadside test after officers believed they smelled cannabis at the scene. He then refused to test again when he was taken into custody at Hammersmith Police Station, with the actor also telling cops that he was traveling between 20 and 30mph at the time of the crash.

The case turned into a lengthy one after the suspect fled the country, jetting off to Dubai before traveling to the US. He was traced to LA after Los Angeles Police Department officers had discovered that he had applied for a US driving licence and had provided his address.

However, it took a further four years for Berouain to be extradited to the UK, with multiple court hearing taking place between London and LA. Eventually US marshals and officials at the British embassy in Washington invoked the UK-US extradition treaty to ensure Berouain’s transport to stand trial in London, according to The Daily Telegraph.

He pleaded guilty to the charges of causing death by dangerous driving and careless driving during a court hearing on June 14. He is serving his sentence after being handed more than eight years in prison during a hearing on July 26.

The judge who presided over Berouain’s sentencing commented on emotional victim staement from Ms Atkinson’s family, including her husband Ed. The judge said: “Her death robbed her of the chance to become a grandmother, and her children and in due course grandchildren are forever deprived of her presence and love as their lives progress.

"The picture that emerges from these statements is of a formidable woman, fiercely devoted to her children and who stood up for what was right. She was also evidently a community-minded individual. I am very moved by her husband’s description of the street in which she lived being lined by hundreds of friends and mourners on the day of her funeral. That shows that she was a much-loved and respected woman.”