Teresa Ryan, a Birmingham mother whose 29-year-old son Jack was killed by a speeding driver who fled to Pakistan before trial, is campaigning for a change in bail law to force defendants facing serious offences to surrender their passports if granted bail.
Jack Ryan's death and the killer's escape
Jack Ryan, an Aston Villa fan and marketing executive who grew up in Sutton Coldfield, was struck by a car driven by Rashad Ali while jogging near Battersea Bridge in west London on January 13, 2021. Ali was driving at almost double the 20mph speed limit. Jack, who was due to become a father, died from his injuries.
Ali was convicted in his absence of causing death by dangerous driving and sentenced to five years in prison. However, he had already fled to Pakistan with his passport intact and has since been seen travelling abroad, including to Dubai. He is believed to have married in Pakistan.
Campaign for bail law reform
Jack's sister Ciara launched the petition, which has gathered 1,800 signatures so far. Their mother Teresa told BirminghamLive: "We would have been able to move on if he had taken his sentence. Because that hasn't happened, you just think this is so unfair that he is living a life."
Teresa added: "The bail law is fundamentally flawed. People should not be able to go to another country and walk away from their responsibilities." She hopes a change in law would bring "some sort of message from Jack that something good has come out of this".
Impact on the family
The family continues to seek justice, with Teresa calling for defendants accused of serious crimes to surrender their passports as a condition of bail. The campaign aims to prevent similar cases where offenders flee the country before facing trial.
