Driver who ignored sight problem killed two women in Southport

A driver who could not "see the steering wheel" killed two pedestrians after ignoring medical advice.

Glyn Jones's vision was "well below the standard required" when he hit friends Marie Cunningham, 79, and Grace Foulds, 85, who were crossing the road in Southport in 2021.

He had "chosen to ignore" advice not to drive, Merseyside Police said.

The 68-year-old was jailed for seven years and four months.

Both women suffered catastrophic injuries and died in hospital later that day on 30 November.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Jones was warned repeatedly he was unfit to drive, after being diagnosed with the eye condition, keratoconus, more than 10 years ago.

Judge Neil Flewitt KC said: "You took a chance and in so doing you gambled with the lives of other road users. That was selfish and grossly irresponsible."

Henry Riding, prosecuting, said the two women were returning home from Southport town centre when they tried to cross Lulworth Road at 16:35 GMT.

An expert estimated Jones, who was driving in his Audi A3 home to Tarleton from Bootle, was travelling between 28 and 38mph when he hit the two women.

CCTV showed he did not brake before impact.

Mr Riding said after the car came to a stop, it was seen moving upwards and downwards, suggesting Ms Cunningham was driven over.

Jones initially told police the two women stepped out from the pavement on his left, despite CCTV showing they crossed from the opposite side.

Judge Flewitt KC told Jones: "The sole cause of their death was your dangerous driving."

In a victim impact statement Ms Foulds' daughter Mary Clarke, recalled how she was getting the house decorated early for Christmas at the time of the crash.

She said her newlywed son, his wife and son planned to surprise her mother by flying over from Australia for the first time since the Covid lockdown.

"Minutes later... I was identifying you on a hospital trolley," she said.

The family of Ms Cunningham said the "pain that this tragic and senseless act has inflicted on the family is indescribable".

They said she was a very active lady, who walked over five miles a day and attended aqua aerobics classes three times a week.

The friends regularly attended Sunday Mass at St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in Birkdale.

Lynn Cunningham said her mother was a "social butterfly, very glamorous and extremely popular".

Sue Rimaitis said the traumatic impact of her mum's death was "insurmountable."

Ms Cunningham's son, Stephen, told the court: "In 2011, we lost our dad to cancer, a merciless condition… 10 years later, we lost our mum to a merciless person, that did not care or consider the devastation he could cause."

Jones will be eligible for release on licence, after two thirds of his sentence has been served.

He was disqualified from driving for five years, plus an extended period of four years and 10 months.

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