DPD driver jailed for 16 months after causing death of beloved grandmother

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A man has been jailed for 16 months after his careless driving led to the death of a beloved grandmother.

DPD delivery driver, James Murdoch, was reversing in a Northumberland car park on January 27, 2023 when he caused Victoria Blair to fall and suffer serious injuries.

The 77-year-old was taken to hospital after the collision but died in hospital a week later on February 3, a court heard.

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Murdoch was charged with causing death by careless driving and was found guilty following a trial in September this year.

The 43-year-old has now been jailed for 16 months and disqualified from driving for 20 months. Newcastle Crown Court heard Murdoch was reversing his work van outside the Haltwhistle residential home where she was living when she suffered the injuries.

Judge Julie Clemitson said: "You were working as a delivery driver for DPD on the day of your offending. You would normally use your own van with safety features to make it safer while you carried out your delivery route.

"Those safety features included a reversing camera, parking sensors and an audio alarm to warn others when you were reversing. Had you been driving that van it seems very likely this tragedy would have been avoided."

Murdoch's van had a fault that morning and was allocated another van from the owner of the franchise which did not have a reversing camera or warning alarm.

Judge Clemitson said Murdoch, of Jacques Terrace, Chester-le-Street, drove into a parking area but the van was too big to fit into a parking bay.

"You chose to drive in and stop as close to the delivery destinations as you could, as indeed, could many other drivers would have done," she said.

The judge continued: "You did your deliveries and then returned to your van. You were vigilant when returning to your van, looking out for anyone who might be around."

Once inside the van, Murdoch recorded his deliveries on a device and looked for his next stop before moving away, ChronicleLive reports.

Judge Clemitson said: "You sat in your van stationary for a total of one minute and 43 seconds."

During this time, Mrs Blair emerged from the back street and crossed the road as she headed home before pausing and walking into the car park.

"She would have seen you parked and may very well have been waiting to see if you were going to start moving and to weigh up her options on how to get back to her front door," the judge said.

"Because she used a walker and there were no drop kerbs around the perimeter of the pavement."

The judge added that Murdoch checked both mirrors before reversing but could not see the blind spot at the rear.

She continued: "You reversed from your parking position, tragically Victoria Blair was in that blind spot and caused her to fall to the ground.

"Your van either knocked her over on making contact with her or her walker, or was so close to doing so that Victoria Blair fell as she tried to avoid being struck.

"Her fall and her consequential injuries were a result of you accelerating backwards towards her as she tried to cross the car park. Had you got out of your van to check before you moved back you would have seen her."

The court was told Murdoch believed he checked like "any normal person would do".

He stayed to help treat Mrs Blair but then left to carry on with his delivery route, with the police then catching up with him in the centre of Haltwhistle.

"No doubt leaving the scene seems cold and uncaring to the families of Victoria Blair," Judge Clemitson said.

Judge Clemitson said: "In life she was a rock to her family. She was a much-loved depended upon mother and grandmother.

"She was an important part of their lives. It is all too evident her death caused a huge void in the lives of her family who are all devastated."

Robin Patton, defending, told the court Murdoch was genuinely remorseful for what had happened.

He said: "There isn't a day [that] goes by that he doesn't think of Mrs Blair. It is of no comfort to her family but he started a petition to see if the law can be changed so delivery vans which do not have clear class vision at the rear must be required to have reversing cameras."

Victoria’s son, Matthew Blair said: “On January 27 2023, I received a call that would change every minute of every day for the rest of my life.”

He added that “cruelly, she never regained consciousness and passed before any of us got to say how much we loved her, or even say goodbye.” When speaking about their relationship, he described Victoria as “not only my Mum, but also my best friend”, and told the court how they spoke “every day without fail.”

Victoria’s daughter, Alexandra Blair, said her mum “didn’t lose her life through old age or illness” but that “she had her life taken from her when she still had many, many years left” to make memories with her loved ones. They both spoke of the lengthy proceedings that followed Victoria’s death, saying that Murdoch could have “spared us all the pain” but instead had shown “no remorse or sympathy”.

Alexandra concluded by saying: “May you rest in peace mam, we love you always and will never forget you – and you live on in us every day.”

Mrs Blair also had four other children and seven grandchildren, the court heard.

Sergeant Andrew Ferguson, who led the investigation in Northumbria Police, said: “Firstly, I would like to express my deepest sympathies to Victoria’s family as they continue to navigate life without her.

“Above all else, they have shown significant strength throughout the lengthy investigation and proceedings that have followed – and I’d like to praise them as we reach an outcome today.

"Having spent time with Victoria’s loved ones, it is clear to see how much she was adored – especially as a mother and grandmother.

“She enjoyed her independence and had been making her way home after visiting the local shops, at a slow pace with a walking aid."

He added: “Murdoch then continued to lie to police and the courts saying that Victoria must have fallen before he started driving – prompting a trial in which her family had to suffer through and relive her final moments.

"While no result will ever take away the pain that has been caused, I hope her loved ones can look to move forward following the outcome at court.

“We’ll continue to work together with our blue-light colleagues to keep everyone on our roads safe, and crackdown on those flouting the law.”