A 21-year-old man from Grays, Essex, has been ordered to return to court for sentencing after pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving.
On 21 April 2025, a 72-year-old pedestrian was knocked down by the defendant as he reversed his van in Lodge Lane, Grays. The victim was taken to hospital but sadly died from his injuries exactly two months later.
An investigation by Essex Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) led to the van driver being charged in June 2026 with causing death by careless driving while unfit through drugs. Blood tests revealed that the defendant had used cocaine shortly before the incident, and a by-product of the drug was present in his blood at a level above the legal limit. He was also charged with possession of a Class B drug.
The defendant pleaded guilty to all charges at a hearing at Basildon Crown Court on 21 August 2026 and was then granted bail. Once pre-sentence reports have been completed, he will return to the same court on 18 November for sentencing.
An SCIU detective for Essex Police, Richard Marsh, said the incident highlighted the terrible dangers of drug driving and its potential to ruin lives.
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