Drink driver killed a gran in road crash
HUSBAND LEFT WITH SERIOUS INJURIES
A GRANDMOTHER was killed and her husband suffered life-changing injuries when a speeding drink driver ploughed into their car, a court heard.
Pamela and John Richards, both in their 70s and described as ‘pillars of the local community,’ had just been to the Etihad Stadium to see their beloved Manchester City beat Leicester 5-1.
Mr Richards was driving, and his wife of 52 years was in the passenger seat.
He pulled out of Bennett Street onto Hyde Road in east Manchester, a regular route for the couple, the court heard.
Sebastien Anderson, 35, who already had two previous drink driving convictions, had downed wine before travelling on Hyde Road at around 8pm on Saturday, February 10, this year.
As the 30mph road merged into a single carriageway, he accelerated to overtake a taxi. As he did, Anderson crashed into the Richards’ car.
As members of the public rushed to help, they saw Anderson slumped over the steering well, and it was clear both Mr and Mrs Richards were seriously hurt, prosecutor Charlotte Crangle told Manchester Crown Court yesterday.
They were both taken to hospital, but Mr Richards first had to be cut out of his car. Mrs Richards, 73, from Flixton, was pronounced dead just before 9pm. Mr Richards, also in his 70s, is still in hospital, having suffered fractures to both arms, his shoulder and his neck as well as a serious brain injury.
He is currently in a rehabilitation ward, and will have to move into assisted living when he is expected to be discharged in December or January due to his medical needs.
Police smelled alcohol on Anderson’s breath, and he was found to be two-and-a-half the legal drink drive limit.
He was driving a VW Golf which had a spare tyre on it, and just prior to the crash had run a red light at a pedestrian crossing. Police investigators estimate that Anderson was driving at between 39mph and 52mph at the time.
He told officers that he had gone into the city centre to leave his car there, so he could use it to get home from work after getting the train the following week. He said he had drunk two small bottles of wine and another glass of wine. Anderson denied the offence and said someone else was driving the car, claiming a man had got into his car and threatened him at knifepoint and drove off with him in the passenger seat.
But Anderson later pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving and drink driving.
It is the latest tragedy to befall the Richards family, with John and Pamela’s eldest daughter passing away shortly before the crash after developing breast cancer.
Defending, Andrew Fitch-Holland said Anderson wanted to say he is ‘profoundly sorry’ to the Richards family.
The barrister said that at the time Anderson had recently been suspended from work, and was having marriage problems as a result.
His wife has now instigated divorce proceedings, the court heard.
Mr Fitch-Holland said Anderson gave a ‘cock-and-bull story’ to the police after being arrested in ‘panic,’ and that the defendant expects a ‘substantial and lengthy custodial sentence.’
Judge Martin Walsh said he needed more time to consider the case before passing sentence. The hearing was adjourned until Thursday.