At around 9.20 am on 4 August 2017, John Richard Reidy was crossing the road near Mount Edgecumbe flats when he was hit by a white Peugeot 205 being driven up the hill.
According to witness statements read out during the inquest, Mr Reidy – who lived nearby – had nearly finished crossing the road when he was struck by the vehicle and was thrown onto the pavement.
A GP visiting the Island from the UK, who saw the immediate aftermath of the collision, estimated that the car was travelling at around 30 mph at the time of impact and added that he could not understand why the driver, 28-year-old Christopher Francis Blackwell, had not seen the man.
He added that Mr Reidy was walking around 20 metres behind him at the time and that a few seconds after he was passed by the Peugeot he heard a thud, turned around and saw Mr Reidy in the air and then hit the road.
The doctor added that although he did not think the car was speeding, it did not seem to slow down.
On arrival, paramedics noted that Mr Reidy was unresponsive and, after initially treating him at the roadside, took him to hospital.
Later, Mr Reidy regained full consciousness, and was able to tell a police officer that he had been on his way to the shops further up the road when the collision happened. However, his condition soon deteriorated and, after being transferred to the intensive care unit, he died four days later.
Dr Russell Delaney, a Home Office pathologist who conducted a post-mortem examination, told the inquest how he had found a number of internal and external injuries all over Mr Reidy’s body which were consistent with being hit by a car.
He also said that after conducting checks, he was able to confirm that the pensioner had been suffering from pre-existing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and ischemic heart disease and that this, combined with his old age, would have lessened his ability to recover from his injuries.
Dr Delaney also found that Mr Reidy’s body was exhibiting signs of jaundice, indicating that he may have died from multiple organ failure.
In April, Blackwell, who had been driving the Peugeot, appeared in the Magistrate’s Court after admitting causing death by careless driving and using a vehicle with defective tyres, bodywork and headlights.
He also admitted possessing cannabis, but the inquest was told that this was not a factor in the incident. He was sentenced to 120 hours’ community service, fined £950 and banned from driving for 48 months.
Relief Coroner Advocate Cyril Whelan said that Mr Reidy had died after sustaining multiple injuries, combined with pre-existing heart and lung disease.
