Pensioner who was told not drive due to extremely poor eyesight jailed for killing pedestrian in Langho

Neil Pemberton’s eyesight was so bad he was only able to read a car number plate at a distance of 2.5 metres. The legal requirement is 20 metres.

The 81-year-old continued to drive despite doctors telling him to stop in 2013 due to the issues with his eyesight.

On March 17, 2022, pedestrian Peter Westwell was struck by Pemberton’s Honda Jazz as he crossed the A666 at Langho at the junction with Whalley Road.

Mr Westwell, 80, from Billington, was thrown into the air and suffered catastrophic injuries. He sadly died at the scene.

Pemberton was driving at 48mph in a 30mph zone at the time of the collision.

Neil Pemberton, of Brownhill Road, Blackburn, admitted causing death by dangerous driving on Wednesday (December 6).

He was sentenced to 32 months in jail at Preston Crown Court.

Peter Westwell’s daughter Hazel paid an emotional tribute to her father and pleaded with people to take responsibility for their fitness to drive.

She said: “I really wanted to thank the people who stopped that day and tried to help my dad, it means I know he wasn’t on his own. They were all so kind.

“Dad was walking that day because he had been told by his doctor and his family that he needed to stop driving so he did.

“I would ask people to please take personal responsibility when it comes to their health and driving and I would also ask family members to have that difficult conversation should they have any concerns.

“My dad was an active, fit, kind loving family man. He fought and worked hard to stay independent and for him to die as a result of someone else’s selfish actions is almost impossible for us to bear”.

The judge Simon Medland KC told Pemberton he knew he was suffering from extremely poor eyesight and was told back in 2013 not to drive.

When he took a test in 2016 he had no vision in his right eye and very poor vision in his left eye.

The judge said Pemberton selfishly prioritised his own convenience by continuing to drive and was repeatedly dishonest when he re-applied for his licence.

Det Sgt Helen Parkinson, of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “First and foremost, my thoughts today are with Peter Westwell’s loved ones.

“They have lost a much-loved dad, grandad, brother, uncle and friend in what was an entirely avoidable tragedy.

“Very sadly and ironically Peter was walking that day as he had been told he couldn’t drive for medical reasons.

She added: “Drivers have a personal responsibility to make sure our roads are as safe as possible and making sure your eyesight meets the standards of vision for driving is an important part of that, just like checking your car is in a fit state to drive.

“Tragically, Neil Pemberton’s failure to meet that personal responsibility had all too obvious catastrophic consequences.”