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Driver “continued to accelerate” after fatal hit-and-run

Driver “continued to accelerate” after fatal hit-and-run

Thursday 24 October 2024

Driver “continued to accelerate” after fatal hit-and-run

Thursday 24 October 2024


The van which knocked down Dean and Charlie Lowe was travelling at more than 10mph above the speed limit and “continued to accelerate” after fatally hitting the father-and-son, a trial has heard.

The evidence was revealed on the fourth day of the trial in the Royal Court of Dylan John Pounds.

The 29-year-old has already pleaded guilty to causing the deaths by careless driving, but prosecutors allege that he is guilty of the more serious charge of causing death by dangerous driving.

He has also admitted failing to stop and report an accident.

Dylan_Pounds.jpg

Pictured: Dylan John Pounds has admitted causing death by careless driving, but not the more serious charge for which he is on trial.

The trial opened on Monday, with the Royal Court shown footage of 11-year-old Charlie warning his father "imagine being hit by a drunk driver" just minutes before their deaths on Rue de Fauvic in Grouville.

On Tuesday, the Royal Court heard from people who had seen Pounds in the pub before the incident. An eyewitness shared how he was "jovial", "jokey" and "very drunk" on the dancefloor in a pub just before the collision, and was "sloshing" a pint of beer around.

Yesterday, the court heard from a forensic pathologist and the woman who found the father and son in the road following a fatal hit-and-run.

Today, the trial heard from Rob Manners, a forensics collision investigator with the States of Jersey Police.

He said CCTV footage from 21:40 on the night in question showed the van travelling westbound along Rue de Fauvic at a speed of between 41mph and 43 mph. The speed limit there is 30mph.

He also said that the damage to Pounds’ van would have been caused by his collision with the two victims – and not by crashing into walls, hedges or other features.

“The vehicle hadn’t hit a wall,” he said.

Mr Manners said that Pounds had not slowed down after the collision but “continued to accelerate”.

Earlier, the trial heard some of the results of forensic tests carried out after the incident.

Fragments of glass found in Pounds’ hair and beard were proved to have come from the van windscreen.

A piece of blue fabric came from Charlie’s tracksuit bottoms, while denim found on the road would have come from Mr Lowe’s jeans or denim jacket. 

The trial is expected to conclude next week. 

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

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