The Chronicle

THE HERO AND THE ZERO

Killed as he stops at scene abandoned by banned driver

- By ROB KENNEDY Court Reporter ec.news@trinitymir­ror.com

ONE was a public-spirited family man whose first thought was always for others.

The other a banned driver who continued to jump behind the wheel of a car when over the limit.

And somewhat inevitably, when their two worlds crossed, only one would tragically survive.

The tragic account was revealed at Newcastle Crown Court w here a judge heard how road menace Daniel Angus was behind the wheel of a Jaguar while over the drink drive limit when he lost control and the car crashed into the central reservatio­n, at right angles to the direction of travel on the A19.

Disqualifi­ed driver Angus fled the scene, leaving the black car in a dangerous position with no lights on in the early hours of July 16 last year.

When taxi driver David Hope, known as Davey, who was going in the opposite direction, saw it he decided to act in a “public spirited” manner and tried to make the situation safe.

The 43-year-old grandfathe­r went and turned the hazard warning lights on and rang police, saying he was trying to put the car’s lights on.

But during the call another motorist came on the scene near Killingwor­th, North Tyneside, and inadverten­tly struck Mr Hope, killing him.

Now Angus has been remanded in custody and warned he faces a significan­t prison sentence after he admitted causing death by dangerous driving and other motoring offences.

Christophe­r Knox, prosecutin­g, said: “This defendant was driving unlawfully a car he was not qualified to drive which he bought while disqualifi­ed and was driving with excess alcohol.

“For reasons which are not clear, he lost control of that car on that night some time before 1.30am and collided with and finished up at right angles to the direction of travel, in the central reservatio­n.

“It was a black car and he left it without lights so it represente­d a substantia­l hazard.

“Mr Hope, very public spirited, going in the opposite direction, saw it, went out of his way to stop and see if he could alert and did alert, by a phone call, the police.

“He went on to the central reservatio­n at risk to himself.

“During his phone call he told police control he was turning on the hazard warning lights of the Jaguar to make it obvious to other people.

“In fact that was done. During the phone call he said he was going to try to turn the lights on.

“The phone call was cut off 29 seconds later when he was hit.

“His effort in trying to protect other people

from that caused him to be in the carriagewa­y, where he was hit by another driver, not this defendant.

“The defendant had absented himself from the scene because he knew he couldn’t notify because of his own illegal driving of that vehicle.”

Angus, 25, of Lily Avenue, Bedlington, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving on the A19 south bound carriagewa­y.

He further admitted causing death by driving while uninsured, excess alcohol and failing to report an accident.

Angus pleaded not guilty to causing death by careless driving while over the alcohol limit, causing death by driving while uninsured, failing to stop after an accident, using a vehicle without insurance and driving while unfit through drugs.

Mr Knox said: “Count two is causing death by driving carelessly while over the limit. He has pleaded not guilty but accepts he was above the prescribed limit.

“He has also pleaded not guilty to causing death while disqualifi­ed but it’s not in issue he is and was a disqualifi­ed driving at the relevant time.

“In reality there is no issue on the facts.”

Mr Knox added: “The unfortunat­e Mr Hope was being thoroughly public-spirited and unfortunat­ely and dreadfully died for his pain.”

The court heard Angus had been disqualifi­ed from driving in April 2015 for excess alcohol and has previous for other motoring offences including having no insurance and taking without consent.

Adjourning sentence and ordering a pre-sentence report, Judge Tim Gittins remanded Angus in custody and told him: “Your guilty plea will stand you in good stead in due course in respect of credit for sentence.

“As you appreciate, that’s going to be a significan­t prison sentence. I can’t give you any indication as to length at this stage.”

Gavin Doig, defending, said there had been some “uninformed reporting” on social media about the circumstan­ces.

He said: “The defendant was not driving the vehicle which struck the deceased.

“Some of the reporting has suggested he was driving the vehicle which struck the deceased. That’s not the case.

“He bears primary responsibi­lity for the death but he was not driving, the defendant’s vehicle was stationary at the time.”

 ??  ?? The scene of the crash, and right, Davey Hope with his oldest grandson Jayden, and bottom, Daniel Angus
The scene of the crash, and right, Davey Hope with his oldest grandson Jayden, and bottom, Daniel Angus
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