Motorist denies causing death of 14-year-old Alfreton boy by careless driving

A motorist who collided with a 14 year-old scooter rider has denied causing death by careless driving while under the influence of cannabis.
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Derby Crown Court heard on October 17 during the start of a trial how Christopher Twigg, 28, of Primrose Hill, at Blackwell, Alfreton, allegedly struck teenager Connor Revill on Fordbridge Lane, at South Normanton, in a “high speed collision”.

Prosecuting barrister Andrew Vout said the 14 year-old, of Tibshelf, had been returning home from South Normanton skate park with a friend when the collision happened just before 8pm, on February 19, 2017.

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Pictured is deceased Connor Revill.Pictured is deceased Connor Revill.
Pictured is deceased Connor Revill.

He added that Connor Revill was going downhill on a foot-scooter on the left hand side of the road and his friend had been walking on the pavement and saw a car accelerating past him down the hill.

Mr Vout said: “Mr Twigg had been driving in the same direction as Connor Revill and had approached Connor from behind and Mr Twigg’s car went straight into the back of Connor at speed.

“Connor was thrown backwards onto the bonnet and into the windscreen of Mr Twigg’s car.”

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Mr Vout added: “The damage caused to this car was damage caused in a high speed collision.”

Pictured are foot scooters similar to the one used by 14 year-old Connor Revill.Pictured are foot scooters similar to the one used by 14 year-old Connor Revill.
Pictured are foot scooters similar to the one used by 14 year-old Connor Revill.

Another motorist with a passenger, travelling in the opposite direction, saw Connor Revill going past and saw Mr Twigg’s Ford Fusion car claiming it was driving at 60-70mph in the 40mph zone.

Connor Revill’s friend said he had shouted to warn him before he heard a thud and the scooter being dragged along the bottom of the car.

Mr Vout said that Mr Twigg drove away and Connor Revill’s trainers and his hat had come off and were lying in the road and his scooter had been snapped into pieces.

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He added that Connor Revill’s friend found him lying on his back in the road and he was not breathing.

Pictured is Derby Crown Court.Pictured is Derby Crown Court.
Pictured is Derby Crown Court.

The court heard that passing motorists stopped but Connor had suffered terrible injuries and was beyond help.

Mr Vout said Mr Twigg, who had a passenger in his car, parked up at The Welfare Club and went home and told his partner in tears that he had hit someone but had not seen them.

Mr Twigg used his partner’s phone to call his mother, according to Mr Vout, and he was collected and they went to the incident and called police.

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The defendant was blood tested and the results showed he had cannabis in his system, according to Mr Vout.

A post mortem result revealed that Connor Revill had suffered a large number of injuries but the immediate cause of death was found to be a torn spinal cord which had caused instant death.

Mr Vout said: “Connor was struck from the back and we say he went over the bonnet and his head struck the windscreen and he was forced into the air by the force of this awful impact.”

Mr Twigg told police it had been dark and unlit and there had been no one in sight until all of a sudden “a big smash” hit his windscreen.

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He added to police that he panicked and looked around but did not see anyone and went home to get help because he did not have a phone.

Mr Twigg does not accept there was anything wrong with his driving, according to Mr Vout who added that Connor Revill had been riding in the road wearing dark clothing without any lights.

Defence barrister Stephen Cobley also questioned whether Mr Twigg had actually been driving at 60-70mph and whether his driving had been impaired by cannabis.

The defendant has pleaded not guilty to causing death by careless driving while over the drug-drive limit.

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Mr Vout added: “Any car is a potential lethal machine and it must be driven with great care. There is a duty on all of us to drive on the roads with great care and caution at all times regardless of whether it is day time or night time.

“We say his driving fell below the standard of a careful driver. We say he was driving too fast and he could not have been paying sufficient attention to the road and he had cannabis in his system.

“And for all of these reasons we say he is guilty of this charge.”

The trial continues.