A man who was driving on a busy road reached to get a cloth to wipe his windscreen just seconds before he crashed into a woman at a zebra crossing.
Allyson Pattison was walking across the road, when she was struck by a Dacia Duster car, driven by Winston Hagston. She tragically died at the scene following the crash on January 12, 2021.
Hagston, 58, confessed to causing death by careless driving, when he appeared at court on Thursday.
Wearing a white shirt and tie, Hagston entered a guilty plea while members of Ms Pattison’s family watched on.
However, his basis of plea was not accepted by the prosecution. His solicitor argued the windscreen of Hagston’s car steamed up moments before the collision, but the prosecution queried whether he began driving with the window steamed up.
The court heard that Hagston, of west Hull, reached down to get a cloth to wipe the windscreen and turned on his wipers. It was at that moment he failed to see Ms Pattison on the crossing by which time it was too late and he struck her on Hull Road, close to Thwaite Street in Cottingham, report Hull Live.
He pleaded guilty on the basis a competent driver should have stopped to clear the windscreen rather than continue driving. Hagston was of previous good character and had a good driving record.
However James Byatt, prosecuting, suggested a Newton hearing might be needed. He said the prosecution’s experts would need to be consulted to see if they agree with Hagston’s basis of plea.
He said: “We do not believe this was a momentary lapse and we suggest this is a case that should be sentenced at the crown court. The victim was on the zebra crossing for six seconds. The driver behind Mr Hagston even beeped at him to warn him.”
The court also heard Hagston failed a roadside eye test although he later narrowly passed another eye test at Boots.
District Judge Daley said: “Cases like this when a death occurs are never easy. Sometimes there is a technical matter which can be very important in determining how sentencing is approached. There remains issues to be resolved around the circumstances.”
Judge Daley agreed the case should be sent to Hull Crown Court. It will be next heard on June 23 which may require a Newton hearing unless the circumstances can be agreed. Hagston has been given an interim driving disqualification which takes effect immediately.
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