Man told to stop driving due to eyesight jailed for killing pensioner | UK News

A man who was told by doctors to stop driving nine years ago because of his poor eyesight knocked down and killed a pensioner.

Neil Pemberton, 81, hit Peter Westwell, 80, who was crossing the A666 in the village of Langho near Blackburn, Lancashire.

He had catastrophic injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Preston Crown Court heard yesterday Pemberton was only able to read a car number plate at a distance of 2.5 metres – the legal requirement is 20 metres.

But he ignored doctors and continued to drive.

The court was also told Pemberton was driving at 48mph in a 30mph zone at the time of the crash.

Peter’s daughter Hazel said: ‘I really wanted to thank the people who stopped that day and tried to help my dad, it means I know he wasn’t on his own. They were all so kind.

‘Dad was walking that day because he had been told by his doctor and his family that he needed to stop driving, so he did.

‘I would ask people to please take personal responsibility when it comes to their health and driving and I would also ask family members to have that difficult conversation should they have any concerns.

‘My dad was an active, fit, kind, loving family man. He fought and worked hard to stay independent and for him to die as a result of someone else’s selfish actions is almost impossible for us to bear.’

He admitted causing death by dangerous driving yesterday and was jailed for 32 months.

Judge Simon Medland KC said Pemberton was ‘selfish’ by continuing to drive, and was repeatedly dishonest by indicating there was nothing wrong with his eyesight when he re-applied for his licence from the DVLA.

Detective sergeant Helen Parkinson said: ‘Very sadly and ironically Peter was walking that day as he had been told he couldn’t drive for medical reasons.

‘Drivers have a personal responsibility to make sure our roads are as safe as possible and making sure your eyesight meets the standards of vision for driving is an important part of that, just like checking your car is in a fit state to drive.

‘Tragically, Neil Pemberton’s failure to meet that personal responsibility had all too obvious catastrophic consequences.’

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