Driver admits being responsible for a crash which led to the death of a pensioner from Wootton Wawen

A man has admitted being to blame for a crash which led to the death of a Wootton Wawen pensioner in hospital almost two weeks later, a judge has been told.

Philip Griffin had been charged with causing the death of 74-year-old Kenneth Alder in December 2019 by dangerous driving.

Griffin (32) of Himbleton Close, Redditch, also faces a charge of causing serious injury to Mr Griffin’s wife Maureen by dangerous driving.

The charges follow a collision on the A4189 Redditch Road near Ullenhall during the afternoon on December 11, 2019 when the Alders’ Ford Focus was hit by Griffin’s Nissan Navara.

Mr and Mrs Alder from Wootton Wawen, who had been married for 50 years, were both seriously injured in the crash, and Kenneth died in hospital 13 days later on Christmas Eve.

Although his case was listed at Warwick Crown Court for a plea and case management hearing, Griffin was excused from attending because of measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic by reducing the number of people in the building.

But his barrister Makhan Shoker indicated that Griffin would be pleading guilty to both charges and asked for a pre-sentence report to be prepared on him.

So Judge Peter Cooke adjourned the case for the report to be prepared prior to a further hearing at which Griffin, who is on bail, will attend to enter his pleas and be sentenced.