DPD driver convicted of death by careless driving after hitting pensioner

Tragic Victoria Blair, 77, was in a blind spot behind James Murdoch's VW Crafter vehicle when he started to move and was knocked to the ground on January 27 2023.

Mrs Blair, who was described as a "rock" to her devastated family, was taken to hospital but died as a result of her injuries a week later.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Mrs Blair was living in a residential home in Haltwhistle, Northumberland, and Murdoch had made a delivery nearby, in a van he would not normally use.

He checked around the van before he got in but in the minute or so it took for him to do admin tasks before he set off, Mrs Blair had walked behind the vehicle.

Murdoch, 43, of Jacques Terrace, Chester le Street, County Durham, denied causing death by careless driving but was convicted by a jury after a trial.

Judge Julie Clemitson jailed him for 16 months with a 20 month road ban.

The judge said: "Tragically, Victoria Blair was in that blind spot, emerging from it as you were reversing and it caused her to fall to the ground.

"The van either knocked her over by making contact with either her or her walker or was so close she was trying to avoid being struck.

"Whatever the precise mechanism, her fall and injuries were as a result of your van reversing back towards her as she tried to cross the carpark.

"Had you got out of the van and checked before moving back you would have seen her."

The court heard Murdoch waited until paramedics arrived but then left to carry on with his deliveries.

When he was arrested he claimed he believed she had just fallen, which Mrs Blair's family have branded "cold and uncaring".

The court heard Murdoch would usually use his own van, which had parking sensors, reversing camera and alarm, for work but was using a different vehicle, which had no such features, as his had developed a fault that morning.

Judge Clemitson said Mrs Blair has left a void in her family's lives that has left them "devastated".

The judge accepted Murdoch, who cried during the hearing, was remorseful for what happened.

Robin Patton, defending, said: "There isn't a day that goes by he doesn't think about Mrs Blair.

"It's no comfort to the family but about six weeks ago he started a petition to see if the law can be changed so that delivery vans which don't have clear glass in the rear must be required to have reversing cameras because currently there is no such requirement."

The court heard Murdoch has a partner and children and has never been in trouble before.