Diabetic Who Blacked Out At Wheel Denies Causing Death By Dangerous Driving

A driver blacked out at the wheel in a diabetic attack and killed a district nurse walking on the pavement, a court heard yesterday. Nurse Suzanne Meredith, 54, died instantly and her lecturer husband Julian was seriously injured in the freak crash.

Diabetic motorist Phillip Willey, 45, is accused of causing death by dangerous driving because he failed to control his sugar levels during his journey. A court heard Willey fell unconscious due to a diabetic attack – sending his car ploughing into the couple taking an evening stroll.

Prosecutor Marion Lewis said, “Willey knew he needed to have a sugary snack on hand in his car in case of an attack. He knew what he had to do but chose not to do it. He was driving dangerously on the day of the collision and he is criminally responsible.”

Mother-of-three Mrs Meredith and her husband were holding hands on their regular evening walk through the village of Sully, near Cardiff, when Willey’s Subaru Legacy came towards them at speed.

Cardiff Crown Court heard lecturer Mr Meredith, 52, shouted, “My God, it’s going to hit us.” The jury heard Willey did not attend vital regular check-ups to deal with his condition which was diagnosed 10 years before the fatal crash.

Miss Lewis said, “He did not inform his insurance company, he did not tell the DVLA and he failed to regularly check his blood sugar levels. This is someone who was not managing his illness properly.”

Mrs Meredith died instantly from head and chest injuries. Her husband told police, “There was no time to take avoiding action. After the collision I was calling out for Sue – but I got no answer.”

Motorist Ahmed Shah, who was driving immediately behind Willey, told the court, “He was stopping and starting then swerving from one side of the road to the other. Then he suddenly slowed down to a crawl and stopped. Then he drove off at speed and hit the two pedestrians.”

Another driver told police he saw Willey revving his engine and jerk the car violently from side to side in the road. He said, “He was swerving like a Formula 1 driver trying to warm his tyres up. It was like the car was being driven by a joyrider. Through my rear mirror I could see smoke coming from the tyres.”

Willey, of Barry, denies causing death by dangerous driving. The trial continues.