Truck driver killed man, 84, as he crossed road

A truck driver who had taken cocaine killed an 84-year-old pedestrian as he crossed the road, a court has heard.

Edward Feelie, 54, failed to stop at a red light while driving his flatbed Isuzu and went on to hit Robert Shirra-Gibb in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire.

Mr Shirra-Gibb never recovered from the collision which occurred just days before Christmas in 2023.

Feelie pleaded guilty to a charge of causing death by dangerous driving at the High Court in Glasgow.

The 54-year-old was found to have six times the "specified limit" of cocaine in his bloodstream.

The court also heard Feelie, of Blantyre, already had two road traffic convictions.

He was remanded in custody pending sentencing next month.

The incident occurred on the town's Glasgow Road at about 18:00 on 19 December 2023.

Prosecutor Lindsey Dalziel said Mr Shirra-Gibb made it across the eastbound carriageway but was struck by Feelie's truck when he entered the westbound carriageway.

She added: "He appeared to fail to slow or react to a red light as well as the presence of Mr Shirra-Gibb upon crossing."

The court heard the victim suffered "catastrophic" pelvic, chest and back injuries.

He also had a bleed on the brain and died the next day.

Dashcam video footage of the incident was played in the courtroom.

Ms Dalziel said Feelie - who had been working as a traffic management operative - immediately got out of his vehicle and appeared "shocked and agitated".

However, he initially seemed unaware of a stricken Mr Shirra-Gibb being helped by others.

Crash investigators found the red traffic signal that night had been showing for 11 seconds before the collision.

Mr Shirra-Gibb had been on the road for around seven seconds.

Miss Dalziel said Feelie's lorry "did not deviate until the moment of impact".

A blood sample was taken from Feelie at a police station after the incident and it was found to contain 67mg of cocaine per litre of blood. The specified limit is 10mg.

Marco Guarino, defending, said Feelie recognised the impact on Mr Shirra-Gibb's family and had been "very severely affected" by the incident.

The judge, Lord Arthurson, remanded him in custody and adjourned sentencing until next month in Edinburgh.