Great-grandfather, 86, killed on way to chip shop by show-off drug dealer who was popping wheelies on e-bike

The Sun

a day ago

A GREAT-grandfather was killed on his way to a chip shop by a reckless drug dealer who was pulling a wheelie on an e-bike, a court heard.
Dylan Green, 20, had his girlfriend as a pillion passenger on the bike, when he collided with 86-year-old Bart O'Hare in Burnley, Lancashire, in March last year.
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Mr O'Hare, who had two granddaughters and five great-grandchildren, sadly died in hospital a number of days later.
The great-grandad suffered head and chest injuries including a fractured skull.
Philip Astbury, prosecuting, told the court how Mr O'Hare was thrown into the air following the collision, which happened when he was less than three metres into the roadway.
Tyre marks showed Green's bike had returned to two wheels shortly before the crash but Mr Astbury said the wheelie had "entirely compromised Dylan Green's view of the road ahead of him".
He said the e-bike had "never been recovered" - but analysis of CCTV found it was travelling 41 per cent faster than all other vehicles in the area at the time.
Mr Astbury added: "Dylan Green and his girlfriend fled the scene on his e-bike, which has never been recovered."
Mr O'Hare's daughter told Green, who was sentenced to eight years and three months' detention, that his actions had "broken my family".
Marika Mausolf addressed Green from the witness box at Preston Crown Court on Monday and said: "Not once did you show any thought or concern for him after taking your girlfriend out on an illegal bike and pulling wheelies on the road with no consideration for my dad.
"Your selfish attitude was to try and diminish your actions by leaving my dad to suffer so you could get rid of the bike.
"You've broken my family in so many ways that I cannot begin to explain."
Green has been sentenced to eight years and three months' detention.
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Footage played in court showed Green, who was on bail for drugs offences at the time, pulling a wheelie as he drove down Accrington Road shortly after 4.15pm on March 22 last year.
The wheelie lasted for 37 metres, the court heard.
The collision was not shown on camera but in the moments after, Green could be seen returning on the bike, which was being ridden on the pavement.
About 45 minutes later, Green returned to the scene with two other males, one who told a police officer Green was responsible but suggested Mr O'Hare "ran out in front of him", the court heard.
Kristian Cavanagh, defending, said Green had demonstrated remorse "in his own way" and night terrors and panic attacks which he suffered were a reflection of how he felt.
Recorder of Preston Judge Robert Altham told Green: "You should have been wearing a helmet. You should have been displaying L plates. You should have passed a basic test. You should have been insured. You should not have had a pillion passenger."
He said: "Whilst you are undoubtedly sorry to be caught I do not detect any real remorse."
Green, of Burnley, Lancashire, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by driving while uninsured.
He also pleaded guilty to one count of supplying MDMA between July and October 2023, for which he was given a concurrent sentence of 12 months in a young offenders institute.
He was disqualified from driving for 12 years and four months.
Speaking outside court, Sergeant Paul McCurrie said: "That Friday, Bart left his house to go and pick up fish and chips for his tea, a journey that so many people will regularly make.
"Bart didn't make it to the chip shop, or home that night, instead he was killed by Dylan Green's reckless driving."
He added: "Driving in this manner is not and never will be acceptable.
"When the worst-case scenario happens, as it did on that day last year, it leaves behind a wake of devastation to more people than you would imagine."