Man jailed after admitting causing pedestrian's death

A driver who admitted causing the death of a pedestrian in Leicestershire in 2018 has been jailed.

Matthew Allen, 28, appeared at Leicester Crown Court today (Tuesday 8 December) where he was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment.

He was also disqualified from driving for 17 months.

Allen, of Tyler Avenue, Loughborough, had pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving at an earlier hearing in the same court.

At around 4am on Sunday 11 November police received a call alerting them to a serious collision in Holt Drive, Loughborough, involving a pedestrian and a Peugeot van.

The driver had failed to stop at the scene.

Officers and colleagues from the East Midlands Ambulance Service attended the location where the victim, Melvin Shephard, 64, of Loughborough, was pronounced dead.

Melvin Shephard

An investigation was carried out to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the collision and locate the driver. As a result of their enquiries officers arrested Allen later that day.

Detective Sergeant Paul Hawkins, from the force’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, led the enquiry. He said: “Allen left the scene of the collision leaving Mr Shephard fatally injured in the road.

“Although I am pleased Allen admitted his culpability which meant Mr Shephard’s family did not have to face reliving what happened in court, I know that in a way, it was of little comfort to his family who remain devastated by his untimely death.

“I can only hope that this conviction serves as a timely reminder to all motorists to drive responsibly at all times. Failure to do so can have catastrophic results which can not only devastate your life but that of your family and also the lives of innocent people.”