Driver was texting when he killed pedestrian a week before Christmas

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Driver was texting when he killed pedestrian a week before Christmas

Postby dutchman » Thu May 17, 2018 2:07 pm

Robert Morris died three days after being hit by Steven Russell's Jaguar in Ansty Road, Coventry

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A driver who was texting at around the time he ploughed into a pedestrian on a busy Coventry road has been told he will go to prison.

Steven Russell failed to brake before his Jaguar hit 57-year-old Robert Morris in Ansty Road, Walsgrave, in December 2016.

Mr Morris, who had been for a family drink at a nearby pub, suffered "severe injuries" and died three days later.

Russell, 42, of Adelaide Street, Hillfields, had pleaded not guilty to causing Mr Morris' death by dangerous driving, but after almost seven hours of deliberating the jury found him guilty by a majority of 10-1 – after the judge had discharged one juror for a reason which cannot be reported.

Russell then pleaded guilty to a further offence of harassment, and the case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared on him.

Remanding him ahead of sentencing, Judge Andrew Lockhart QC told him: “You will go to custody for that in due course.”

After the jury had returned its verdicts, the court heard the harassment offence involved Russell threatening his daughter’s partner in phone calls, texts and by turning up at his home.

Russell will be sentenced on May 25.

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Re: Driver was texting when he killed pedestrian a week before Christmas

Postby dutchman » Fri May 25, 2018 3:08 pm

Killer driver who was texting as his car ploughed into Coventry father is behind bars

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A driver was constantly texting for 20 minutes while behind the wheel of his car before he ploughed in to a pedestrian.

Robert Morris was crossing Ansty Road, in Walsgrave, following a Christmas drink with family when he was hit by Steven Russell's Jaguar.

Russell, 42, of Adelaide Street, Hillfields, didn't even brake before hitting the father.

He was today jailed for seven years after being convicted of causing death by dangerous driving.

He will serve a further 18 months on top of that sentence after admitting to harassment and criminal damage charges, that included him telling another man he was going to "put a bullet in your head".

Jailing Russell, Judge Andrew Lockhart said that his dangerous driving “began as you left home that night”.

He told Russell: “From 10.45pm you were in constant text conversation. You were distracted through the journey, with texts forwards and backwards throughout.

"It was a journey of some 20 minutes and you were concentrating more on your phone than your driving."

The judge stated that Mr Morris was “there to be seen” in Ansty Road for “around 100 metres” on the night that he was hit by Russell’s car.

“Had you been paying proper attention you would have seen him and been able to react,” the judge told Russell.

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