Van driver acquitted over death of four-year-old girl he knocked down as she rode scooter along pavement with mum
Relatives of little Esme Weir sobbed in the public gallery as a jury returned a not guilty verdict on driver Peter Williams, 62
A VAN driver who knocked over and killed a four-year-old girl as she played on her scooter on the pavement has been cleared of causing her death by dangerous driving.
Relatives of little Esme Weir sobbed in the public gallery as a jury returned a not guilty verdict on driver Peter Williams, 62.
The former soldier also broke down his tears, holding his head down in the dock as he was discharged.
His trial had heard how Williams mounted the pavement while delivering wood in a Ford Transit tipper van in the Wirral, Merseyside.
Esme was scooting along Gladstone Road in Neston with her pregnant mum Jessica walking behind as they headed to pre-school just before noon on January 15 last year.
Shortly before the tragedy, Williams had waved them across the road as he waited at a junction and the mum waved back to thank him.
Jessica told Liverpool crown court said: “The van drove past me. I didn’t think anything about it. Esme was going ahead and the van came round into the gap and went up on the kerb. Esme was slightly ahead of the van.
“I started to run because I realised what could happen. I dropped my bags and ran. I hit the back of the van.
"I saw the wheel hit the scooter at the back which made her fall and the wheel went right over her. I couldn’t get there in time.”
MOST READ IN NEWS
Williams said he drove down the road — double parked with cars on both sides — at 10mph looking for a space to pull in near the house where he was delivering timber.
He said he mounted the pavement so as not to block the road and had not seen the girl.
He told the jury: “I slowed to a stop, indicated and checked my mirrors and drove onto the pavement.
"I heard a lady screaming and I got out the van to see what had happened and there was little girl on the floor.
“I went to help her. I had blood all over my hands and the mother picked the little girl up and carried her across the road and took her into somebody’s house.”
Paramedics and hospital medics tried in vain to save Esme, who had suffered "fatal traumatic multiple injuries".
Williams, of Wallasey, told the court he has been unable to sleep properly since the tragedy and he will never get behind the wheel again.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368