A boy racer has been jailed for three years after ploughing down and killing a British Legion stalwart at the wheel of a souped up Vauxhall Nova.
Preston Crown Court heard in just three months of driving Yeates, of Trent Street, Longridge, had crashed another vehicle and been seen racing another car in Berry Lane, Longridge.
At around 5pm on October 18, Yeates mowed down Mr Fielding as he drove 47mph in a 30mph zone.
Neil Fryman, prosecuting, said: “Mr Fielding was a sprightly man. He was described by one of the witnesses as a man who used to cut the grass at the local conservative club. He was an active member of the community.”
However as Mr Fielding crossed the road outside the library in Rishton, east Lancashire the British Legion standard bearer was hit by the speeding vehicle and carried along the road, suffering fatal injuries.
Eye witness Antonia Bates said she heard the roar of an engine and saw Mr Fielding crossing the road. Reading from her witness statement, Mr Fryman said: “She looked and saw the driver of the car. He wasn’t looking ahead. He was looking down towards the gearstick.
“As he looked up he had no time to react. He hit the man and pressed the brakes at the same time.”
In interview, Yeates admitted he contributed to the incident and later pleaded guilty to causing Mr Fielding’s death by dangerous driving.
He also admitted fraud after failing to tell his insurance company he had changed the engine and gearbox in his Vauxhall Nova to more powerful models taken from the Nova he had crashed into a hedge in Haighton, two months earlier.
Sharon Watson, defending, said: “This is a young man who is terribly, terribly sorry for the suffering he has brought on the Fielding family.”
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