Radcliffe: Woman says she was 'concentrating' before fatal collision

Kenneth Magill died after being hit by a Volkswagen Golf being driven by Ann Ferguson on Market Street in Little Lever in January 2020.

The 54-year-old is on trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court accused of causing Mr Magill's death by driving without due care and attention.

On Wednesday, the court heard Mr Magill had been with his son Trevor at the Little Lever Working Men’s Club and was on his way home at the time of the collision.

His son said the direction of travel would have meant he came from the driver’s right hand side at the time of the collision.

Pathologist Jamie Robinson said injuries had occurred mostly to the left hand side of Mr Magill's body.

Prosecutor Rachel Faux told the jury that the Crown's case was that had Magill entered the road from the right he would have been on it for around five seconds before the clash, and that by not spotting him Ferguson’s driving “fell below” the standard expected of a “careful and competent” driver.

But the court heard an interview which Ferguson gave to the police a month after the crash after Mr Magill had died, during which she said he came from the passenger’s side.

She said she had been travelling with her son to the cinema in Bolton.

Ferguson said she knew the road well and was obeying the speed limit of 30mph and was between two pelican crossings at the time of the crash.

Ferguson said her son was changing the music being played in the car before the incident but said she was "concentrating on the road".

She said the collision took place “on the passenger’s side”.

Ferguson said her first thought was that a dog had been hit, but later got out and realised it was a man

She also said the car was fitted with a collision alert system and this had not gone off.

Magill, of Calf Hey Close, Radcliffe, denies the charge against her.

The trial, before Judge Eliot Knopff, continues.