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Drunk dangerous driver told police his van had been stolen after killing cyclist in hit and run

William Stallard to be sentenced next month

A Hartlepool motorist has pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, drink-driving and attempting to pervert course of justice after telling police his van had been stolen when it was involved in a fatal hit and run with a cyclist.

The Hartlepool Mail reports that at around 6.45am on July 31, Michael Waistell was riding along Mowbray Road in Hartlepool when he was hit by William Stallard.

Stallard failed to stop and later that day reported to police that his Ford Transit had been stolen.

A passer-by attempted CPR on Waistell, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Stallard admitted doing an act intending to pervert the course of justice through reporting the van stolen.

He also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and drink driving after recording 51 micrograms of alcohol on his breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

He will be sentenced on October 5.

Judge Deborah Sherwin explained: “I can’t proceed to sentence you today. That’s because the family of the deceased, Mr Waistell, need to have the opportunity to be able to make statements setting out what the impact of all this has been on them and they need to have an opportunity of attending court, either in person or over the videolink.”

Sherwin imposed an interim driving ban.

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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3 comments

Avatar
lio | 3 years ago
9 likes

Alex, it's a small thing but could road.cc please title the victim (Mr, Mrs, Ms, etc) in these reports as police and other news sources do?

It adds a small amount of dignity to the deceased, rather than to be referred to simply by their surname as the accussed is, thank you.

Avatar
eburtthebike | 3 years ago
8 likes

Sympathy to family and friends.

I sincerely hope we won't be getting the usual "Any sentence I hand down can't bring Michael back, so here's a slap on the wrist." stuff.  This must be somewhere towards the top end of possible punishments, and causing death by dangerous driving is fourteen years on its own isn't it?

Avatar
ktache | 3 years ago
5 likes

My condolenses and thoughts go out to the family and friends of Michael Waistell.

Much as I appreciate the imposition of an interim driving ban, it would be remiss of me, after reading the story in The Hartlepool Mail, to point out that he is being held on remand and so cannot really be driving much anyway.

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