Death-crash driver was ‘showing off’
Reporter: Court reporter
Date published: 08 September 2010
Victim Christopher hit crossing road
A 17-YEAR-OLD driver was “showing off” to two girls he had picked up minutes before when he hit a schoolboy.
Danny Pattinson, now 18, was trying to impress 16-year-olds Suzanne Bennett and Megan Shaw as he sped through Lees in his Mini Cooper when the fatal collision occurred, the court as told.
A jury heard yesterday that the passengers were screaming “with laughter at first” but then in “fear” as Pattinson drove nearly 10mph over the speed limit.
He collided with 15-year-old Christopher Dale, of Bramble Avenue, Moorside, on June 13 last year as the youngster crossed Lees Road with friends.
The Blue Coat pupil was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital but did not regain consciousness.
Pattinson denies causing death by dangerous driving and death by careless driving.
Prosecuting at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court, Mr Michael Leeming asked: “Was the defendant trying to impress? Was he trying to show off?
“Megan Shaw recalled he set off at a really fast speed. Both girls felt uncomfortable with the manner of the defendant’s driving. They began screaming with laughter at first, but their screams turned to screams of fear because of his driving. He was captured on CCTV travelling at least 40 mph, that’s according to post-collision reconstruction.
“One passer-by was forced to jump out of the way as he drove through the village.
“Further along this road the defendant came across a group making their way across the road. He did not slow down but simply beeped his horn several times and continued to speed at between 38-40 mph. He then collided with Chris.”
Pattinson claims he beeped and eased his foot off the accelerator when he came across the teenagers crossing the road, but didn’t feel the need to come to a stop and, seeing Christopher in the middle of the road at the last minute, was unable to stop in time.
But the prosecution’s witnesses claim he swerved to avoid the tail end of the group when he hit Christopher.
The case continues.
