10:19 am, July 14, 2023
A man has been handed a suspended prison sentence for causing the death of a delivery driver at an Evans Halshaw dealership.
Paul Davies, of Beaumont Close, Chester, appeared at Mold Crown Court yesterday (July 13) for sentencing.
He had previously admitted causing the death of delivery driver Nigel Sedgwick, 64, at a hearing on June 16, as reported by Car Dealer.
According to The Leader, Sarah Badrawy, prosecuting, told the court that the accident happened just before 8.30am on May 3 last year.
Davies was reversing a customer’s Ford Ranger at the Evans Halshaw Service Centre on Chester Road, Bretton, Chester, when the car struck Mr Sedgwick who was on the forecourt and knocked him to the ground.
The court was told that Mr Sedgwick, who had delivered a van from Wolverhampton and was due to retire this year, had stopped to check his mobile phone as Davies was performing the reversing manoeuvre.
The court was told the Ranger pick-up continued to reverse, briefly pausing before continuing the manoeuvre and turning while Mr Sedgwick was trapped underneath it.
Davies then got out of the Ranger and raised the alarm after finding Mr Sedgwick under the vehicle.
The vehicle was lifted using machinery and Davies performed CPR ahead of the emergency services arriving.
Mr Sedgwick was taken to the Countess of Chester Hospital but died just before 10.30am.
The court was told a post-mortem examination found he had suffered ‘severe chest trauma’ and crush injuries.
When interviewed by police, Davies told them he had checked around the Ranger before reversing it.
He said he felt the vehicle to be ‘sluggish’ during the manoeuvre so stopped and checked the handbrake before carrying on reversing.
He also thought the Ranger may have had a puncture and it was when he checked for that that he found Mr Sedgwick.
Mr Sedgwick’s widow, Christina, was quoted as telling the court: ‘Nigel was a kind, generous, amazing, loving husband, father and grandfather.
‘He worked hard for many years to provide for and support his family. He was liked by everyone he met.’
The court was told that Mr Sedgwick had been ‘counting down the days’ to his retirement this year.
In mitigation, Megan Tollitt said Davies had been employed by Evans Halshaw in Bretton for the past decade and was previously of good character.
The court was told Davies, 50, had taken complete responsibility for what happened and did all he could to help Mr Sedgwick after the accident.
Judge Rhys Rowlands described what happened as a ‘horrible, avoidable, tragic accident’.
He added: ‘It just shows how careful we all need to be when we get behind the wheel.’
Davies was handed an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. He was also given a driving ban for 18 months and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.
