Taxi Driver Online
http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/

Bolton driver admits causing death of OAP pedestrian
http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=35406		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  StuartW [ Tue Feb 11, 2020 9:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Bolton driver admits causing death of OAP pedestrian
Sounds like just a tragic accident that could happen to anyone :-|


Taxi driver admits causing OAP's death

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/18 ... aps-death/

Image
Image: The Bolton News

A TAXI driver has admitted causing the death of a pensioner as he tried to cross a busy Farnworth Road.

Fred Whitworth, aged 84, had visited the Betfred shop on Market Street and was crossing the road when he was struck by Jean Mpwaba's Toyota Corolla.

Mr Whitworth suffered serious head injuries in the collision on September 5 last year and an air ambulance was called, but he was eventually taken to Salford Royal hospital by road and died the following day.

At Bolton Magistrates' Court today private hire driver Mpwaba, aged 47, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving.

Shazia Aslam, prosecuting, told the court how Mr Whitworth had left the betting shop at 1.30pm and walked towards the kerb.

"He then began to wait for a break in the flow of traffic," she said, adding that CCTV cameras had captured the pensioner's movements which showed him waiting for 34 seconds before starting to cross the road diagonally.

At the same time Mpwaba dropped off a passenger and reversed into nearby Church Street.

"He then began a right turn into Market Street when there was a gap in the traffic," said Miss Aslam.

"Also recognising a gap in the traffic, the complainant began to cross Market Street.

"As the defendant was turning right he collided with the complainant who was around three feet from the central white lines.

"The force of the impact lifted the complainant off his feet and onto the bonnet of the defendant's vehicle before falling to the ground."

An Audi driver was heading along Market Street and told police that Mpwaba had been looking at his oncoming car and not at the pedestrian when turning into the busy main road.

Another woman saw the collision

"I thought the taxi would stop at any moment but it never did," she told police.

The court head that Mpwaba, of Raikes Road, Bolton, has no previous convictions and was not speeding.

Imran Rashid, defending, said Mpwaba has "shown genuine remorse right from the outset".

"It has been a very unfortunate set of circumstances for all parties concerned, especially the victim and he has asked to express his apologies.

"This is a set of circumstances which is entirely out of character for him."

Mpwaba has been banned from driving and will be sentenced at Bolton Crown Court on March 9. He was granted bail in the meantime.
Author:  Sussex [ Tue Feb 11, 2020 11:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolton driver admits causing death of OAP pedestrian
Quote:
Sounds like just a tragic accident that could happen to anyone :-|

Can't argue with any of that. :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad:
Author:  Karga [ Wed Feb 12, 2020 11:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolton driver admits causing death of OAP pedestrian
Here's the streetview of the street in question.

He must have properly put his foot down to have been going fast enough to kill someone in the middle of the road in front of him.
Author:  edders23 [ Wed Feb 12, 2020 11:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolton driver admits causing death of OAP pedestrian
Karga wrote:
Here's the streetview of the street in question.

He must have properly put his foot down to have been going fast enough to kill someone in the middle of the road in front of him.



Mpwaba has been banned from driving and will be sentenced at Bolton Crown Court on March 9. He was granted bail in the meantime.

sounds like the court agrees with you
Author:  StuartW [ Mon Mar 09, 2020 8:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolton driver admits causing death of OAP pedestrian
Taxi driver was looking the wrong way when he killed elderly pedestrian

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/18 ... edestrian/

Image
Image: The Bolton News

A TAXI driver has been given a community sentence after he pulled out of a side street and killed an elderly pedestrian.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Jean Mpwaba was looking at oncoming traffic when he pulled out of Church Street onto Market Street, Farnworth, and failed to see 84-year-old Fred Whitworth crossing the road on September 5 last year.

Mr Whitworth suffered severe head injuries in the collision and died the next day in hospital.

Mpwaba pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and was sentenced to a community order for two years during which he will have to undertake 300 hours of unpaid work.

The married father-of-three, who had worked for Metro taxis for five years and never accumulated any penalty points on his licence, was also banned from driving for 12 months.

Judge Graeme Smith told him: "Cases of this type are the most tragic that we see in this court. Firstly and most importantly, because they involve the untimely death of an entirely blameless person.

"Nothing that this court can do or say will even begin to fill the void that his death has caused.

"It is also tragic because you, the defendant, are a hard working family man who makes a significant contribution to your community."

The court heard that Mr Whitworth had been to the Betfred shop on Market Street, where he was said to enjoy an "occasional flutter" and left just before 2pm, heading for the kerb where he waited for a break in the traffic.

Gavin Howie, prosecuting, told how, at the same time, Mpwaba had dropped off a passenger on Market Street and reversed his black Toyota Corolla into Church Street in order to turn the vehicle around.

Members of Mr Whitworth's family opted to leave court as CCTV was played which showed the pensioner crossing Market Street diagonally as 47-year-old Mpwaba pulled out of the side street and struck him in the middle of the carriageway. Mr Whitworth was flung from the bonnet into the road.

The court heard that Mpwaba was busy looking left at an oncoming car driver.

Mr Howie said: "He continued to look at him rather than looking ahead. Had he done so he would have seen Mr Whitworth crossing the road."

He added that Mpwaba tested negative for drink and drugs, had not been using a mobile phone and the vehicle was roadworthy.

The court heard how, although aged 84, Mr Whitworth, a former station master at Moses Gate train station, was fit and healthy.

His niece, Susan Harrison, in a victim statement read out in court said: "Fred was a much loved member our close knit family. Losing him has left a huge void in all our lives.

"He was a very independent, fit and healthy 84-year-old who had many more precious years ahead of him.

"He was well known and well liked in the community where he lived for 50 years.

"Fred was one of the kindest, most generous and selfless people you could meet. He was a true gentleman.

"Losing him has been heartbreaking for all his family but losing him in the tragic circumstances that we did has made it more difficult.

"No words can describe what Fred meant to his family and the loss we feel without him. He is and always will be, greatly loved and missed."

Mpwaba, who was described as being actively involved in the church, was supported in court by his wife and pastor.

Anna Chestnutt, defending, told how Mpwaba, of Raikes Road, Bolton, had come to the UK from the Congo 13 years ago and in addition to the three children he and his wife have, also has two adopted children living in the Congo.

"Mr Mpwaba's level of remorse is apparent," said Miss Chestnutt.

"He is genuinely bereft at having taken another human life."

She added that Mpwaba, who has a degree in accountancy and business management, is hoping to get a job in the security industry.

In passing sentence, Judge Smith paid tribute to the dignified manner in which Mr Whitworth's family had conducted themselves in court.

And he told Mpwaba: "I am satisfied that you have shown considerable remorse in a number of different ways and you have never tried to avoid your responsibility for what happened."
Author:  Sussex [ Mon Mar 09, 2020 10:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bolton driver admits causing death of OAP pedestrian
Very sad all round.

But for the grace of god.
Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/