"He left his victims dead or dying in the middle of the road"

Monday 21 October 2024

There were audible gasps in the public gallery Royal Court this afternoon as footage of an 11-year-old boy warning his father about dangerous drivers – minutes before they were both killed – was shown.

The mobile phone video was made by Charlie Lowe, who died only a short time later, when he and his father Dean (48) were hit by a vehicle on Rue de Fauvic in Grouville on 5 August 2023.

The footage was shown on the first day of the trial of 29-year-old Dylan John Pounds, who is charged with causing the deaths of Mr Lowe and his son by dangerous driving.

Pounds had already pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by careless driving. He has also admitted failing to stop and report the collision.

But he denies two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, two charges of causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs, and a further charge of holding a telephone whilst driving.

Pictured: Dylan John Pounds (29) has already pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by careless driving.

Opening the trial for the prosecution today, Crown Advocate Matthew Maletroit told the court that Pounds “left his victims dead or dying in the middle of the road".

He argued that Pounds should be convicted of the more serious charge of causing deaths by dangerous driving because of the circumstances of the incident, alleging that he was drunk, speeding and using his mobile phone at the time of the collision.  

Mr Lowe and Charlie were walking home along the road at around 21:40 on 23 August last year after attending a family birthday party.

In the video recorded by Charlie, Mr Lowe is seen with his hand round his son's shoulders and Charlie mentions the need to be aware of dangerous driving while walking on a country road.

“Charlie and his father were conscious of the potential dangers from other road users,” the Crown Advocate said.

Pictured: Dean Lowe (48) and his 11-year-old son Charlie died after being hit by a vehicle on Rue de Fauvic in Grouville on 5 August 2023.

But he said Pounds had been in no fit state to drive in the poorly lit area.

“This was hit and run," the Advocate added. “He offered no assistance whatsoever to those he had just mown down."

Advocate Maletroit said that Pounds and a friend had been drinking for around nine hours when Pounds chose to drive home in his work van.

They had started in the Union Inn in La Grande Route de Saint-Jean just after midday. Bank statements showed they had spent at least £47 there.

CCTV footage showed them drinking afterwards in the Pembroke pub in Grouville.

By coincidence the birthday event that Mr Lowe and his son were attending was taking place in the same venue – and some footage shows Mr Lowe and Charlie in the background while Pounds is at the bar buying beer.

“They wouldn’t have known that two hours later the same man would be responsible for ending their lives,” Advocate Maletroit said.

Pictured: Mr Lowe and Charlie were killed whilst walking home from a family birthday party last year.

He said that Pounds and his friend next went to the Dolphin Hotel in Gorey before boarding a bus into St Helier, but Pounds got off before it reached the town centre and picked up his van to drive home.

The vehicle’s windscreen was smashed in the incident and the advocate said: “Bits of the bodywork were falling off as he went.

“The damage was extensive. But he carried on as if nothing had happened.”

Analysts at the scene found that the van would have been travelling at around 41mph where the speed limit is 30mph.

Pounds was also found to have deleted a number of phone calls from the log on his mobile phone, which Advocate Maletroit suggested was an attempt to hide the fact that he had been using it.

The trial is expected to conclude next week.

Deputy Bailiff Robert MacRae is presiding and Jurats Jane Ronge and Karen Le Cornu are sitting.

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