Martin Asolo-Agogua had been up all night at a social event when he crashed the bus into Ada and her five-year-old brother on Watling Street on the morning of August 3 last year, a court heard.
The siblings, who were with a family member at the time, were taken to hospital where Ada died two days later.
Asolo-Agogua, 23, from Nunhead, has now pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and driving whilst unfit through drugs (cannabis).
During a brief hearing at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday, April 22, Judge Ben Gumpert KC warned him that he faces the certainty of prison time.
Judge Gumpert said: “Looking at the sentencing guidelines, whether this is in the highest or middle level of culpability, even if that decision went in favour of the defendant the starting point would be a sentence of six years in prison.
“And there are, it seems to me, considerable aggravating features because he was driving a bus, under the influence of cannabis, and that he hadn’t slept the night before having been, as I understand it, at a social event.”
Asolo-Agogua was granted bail until he is sentenced in June.
Judge Gumpert said: “You have pleaded guilty to a very serious offence which has resulted in a young child losing her life.
“The circumstances of this offence are such that in my view it is inevitable that you will be sent immediately to prison.”
Martin Asolo-Agogua put on a balaclava, hoodie and hat then vaulted a railing to avoid press photographers at an earlier hearing (Image: Newsquest) Ada, a Turkish and British national, was a “keen” gymnast and swimmer.
A GoFundMe page was launched to provide support to those who helped the nine-year-old during the incident.
A statement on behalf of the Bacakci family, shared on the page, explained that Ada’s organs were donated to help six other children.
It read: “We have been hit and shattered into pieces, one became six, living in new places.
“Thanks are not enough to show our gratitude. We’ll honour Ada with acts of magnitude.
“The funds will support those who helped us through, from emergency services to our hospital too. We lost count of who soaked us in love.”
The crash took place at around 9.05am on August 3 last year.
Asolo-Agogua was arrested on the day of the incident.
