Driver who hit pedestrian days after taking cocaine warned to face jail for causing his death

Dale Hilton, 42, of Heol Kenyon, Johnstown, Wrexham, had denied causing death by careless driving in a Citroen C2 car when under the influence of a drug on March 2, 2022. He was found guilty by a jury with a ten to two majority verdict.

The Mold Crown Court jury heard George Ian Stevenson, 86, was knocked over by a “glancing” blow from the car. But he spent four hours lying on the cold and wet road waiting for an ambulance to arrive – eventually a single paramedic being sent more than 60 miles to Johnstown from south Gwynedd - and died after going into cardiac arrest.

The agony for Mr Stevenson’s family was compounded during the trial when they heard a statement from Home Office pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers that earlier major medical intervention “could possibly have altered the outcome".

The pensioner, who had poor eyesight, died from massive chest trauma.

Then, after Hilton was found guilty, the family and jury were told of his previous record. The court heard it included convictions for drug-driving, one last year.

Judge Niclas Parry said he would be assisted by a pre-sentence report. He bailed Hilton but banned him from driving. The full length of the ban is yet to be decided.

The judge warned: "It’s an inevitable custodial sentence and will be of some length.”