A MAN who was behind the wheel of a Ford Transit van, when it collided with another car and killed a man, said he would be going to prison for his driving.

Richard Cupid, 31, admits causing death by careless driving but denies he was driving dangerously when his van collided with a Ford Fiesta, driven by John Bromley, 81, on May 17 2015.

Mr Bromley, of Barrow-in-Furness, suffered multiple injuries and died at the scene.


Richard Cupid. Picture Bruce Adams Cupid’s passenger, Heather Gillespie, suffered serious injuries but survived the crash and told the court she saw Cupid using his mobile phone to play music through the van’s speakers, as the van veered into oncoming traffic on the A5087 Rampside Road.

Imogen Harris, a benefit assessor who lives close to the scene, heard the sound of the impact and went to help.

She said she saw two people administering CPR to the man in the Fiesta, and an off-duty nurse tending to Miss Gillespie, who was screaming in pain.

In a police statement, she said: “I saw someone sitting by a gate, hugging a small dog. I asked if he was OK and if he was a dog-walker, or if I could get him anything.

“He asked for a glass of water, and I ran back to the house.

“He was asking about his passenger and the driver of the blue car. I told him that the lady I thought was OK.

“I asked if he was just walking past and he said no, he was the driver. He said he couldn’t get up because his ankle hurt, so I stayed with him because I thought he might go into shock.

“He said ‘I didn’t see the car. It came out of nowhere.

“What is going to happen to me now? I’ve killed someone. Am I going to go to jail?’

“He said his name was Richard.”

Lee Hesletine came upon the scene as he was driving along the Coast Road and stopped to help.

He saw smoke coming from the Ford Fiesta and went to Mr Bromley’s aid.

He and another man, tried to help Mr Bromley out of the vehicle but were unable to, so administered CPR to Mr Bromley in the driver’s seat.

Once the emergency services arrived, Mr Hesletine went to speak to Cupid.

He told the court: “‘He said, ‘how’s the old lady?’

“I said ‘It’s an old man, and I think he has died.’

“He said, ‘That’s me going to prison then.’

“I asked him why and he said, ‘I was looking out of the window, and then I was on him.’”

Cupid, of Newbarns Road, Barrow denies causing Mr Bromley’s death by dangerous driving, and causing serious injury to Miss Gillespie by dangerous driving at Preston Crown Court.