Latest news with #ChristineJones
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Woman said 5 tragic last words to childhood sweetheart as she died on roadside
Christine Jones, 68, suffered fatal injuries a car crash in Thornton Hough, Merseyside - after the accident she asked her husband of nearly 50 years not to let her die A woman said five heartbreaking final words to her childhood sweetheart as she died on the side of the road, a court heard. Christine Jones, 68, was in the passenger seat of a car when it was struck by another vehicle in Thornton Hough, Merseyside. Despite suffering injuries, the great-grandmother was able to reach into her handbag and retrieve her mobile in order to call her husband of nearly 50 years. He then rushed to the scene and kissed and held hands with his wife as she told him: "Please don't let me die." Ian Ashworth, an armed force veteran whose car veered into their path and caused the head-on smash, has been spared an immediate prison sentence over the accident. Liverpool Crown Court heard this week that 81-year-old Bryn Jones was driving his Ford Fiesta along the two-lane carriageway in the direction of Thornton Hough at around 9pm on August 14, 2023 with his stepdaughter, Mrs Jones, as his front seat passenger. The two had been returning home from Arrowe Park Hospital, where his long-term partner and her mother, Brenda Jones, had been admitted as an inpatient. Eric Lamb, prosecuting, described how Ashworth, of New Heyes in Neston, was meanwhile travelling in the opposite direction in his Peugeot 3008 at the same time. The following collision was not caught on camera or witnessed by any other persons, while both motorists have "no recollection" of the event, the Liverpool Echo reports. However due to markings left by the vehicles on the road surface, investigators concluded that the 62-year-old defendant's vehicle had "crossed the central divide into the oncoming carriageway," resulting in an impact to the front off-side of both cars. The court heard Mrs Jones was able to exit the vehicle following the crash. But the mum-of-five, nan-of-11 and great grandma-of-three died in hospital three days later due to "severe chest and abdominal injuries." In a statement that was read to the court on their behalf, her children detailed how they and other relatives arrived at the scene before the emergency services after being informed of the crash and said: "We replay every moment in our heads like a slideshow. The constant images are a cruel reminder. "We still expect to wake up and learn that this was all a dream. Just knowing how scared she would have been and the pain she would have felt consumes our minds every day. Mum was our laughter and our constant. She was the first person we called with good news or bad news." Ashworth admitted causing death by careless driving and causing serious injury by careless driving. Appearing in the dock wearing a black suit over a white shirt and a tie emblazoned with a military crest on Wednesday, he showed no reaction as he was handed a 12-month imprisonment suspended for 18 months with a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 10 days. Sentencing, Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said: "I would like to state at the outset that this is a truly tragic case. A life has been lost and another gravely affected. No sentence I can pass today could ever reflect such loss for the victim and their families. To them, I express my utmost sympathy. "Naturally, questions arise. Why? How? The fact is that very little is known. You have no recollection of what happened. I accept that. Neither does Mr Bryn Jones. "There is no evidence of a loss of control. There were no deficiencies with either vehicle. No one was impaired by alcohol or drugs. There is no indication that excess speed was a factor, and yet there you were on the opposite side. "What has resulted here is an incalculable loss in respect of many members of the family. The outstanding question is whether or not this must be served immediately or can it properly be suspended. "Factors in favour of suspending the sentence is that there are clearly reasonable prospects of rehabilitation. You do not present a danger to the public and there is strong personal mitigation. I do not consider, on balance, in all of the circumstances of this case, that immediate custody is demanded, and so the sentence will be suspended."
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Daily Record
Gran's haunting final words to childhood sweetheart as she lay dying at roadside
Christine Jones begged for help following what turned out to be a fatal car crash. A tragic great-grandmother begged her childhood sweetheart to help her as she lay dying at the roadside. Christine Jones pleaded to her husband of nearly 50 years: "Please don't let me die". She had been a passenger in a car which was struck by another vehicle but had managed to contact him. Despite suffering extensive injuries, the 68-year-old was able to reach into her handbag for her mobile phone, allowing her to call her spouse. He then rushed to the scene and kissed and held hands with his wife as she made the haunting five-word plea. She passed away three days after the crash, which took place in Thornton Common Road in Thornton Hough, Wirral. Liverpool Echo reports it came after armed forces veteran Ian Ashworth's car veered into their path and caused a head-on smash. The dad, who "has no memory of how or why" the fatal collision occurred while he was driving home from the gym, has been spared an immediate prison sentence over the accident, which remains largely unexplained. Liverpool Crown Court heard this week that 81-year-old Bryn Jones was driving his Ford Fiesta along the two-lane carriageway in the direction of Thornton Hough at around 9pm on August 14 2023 with his stepdaughter, Mrs Jones as his front seat passenger. The two had been returning home from Arrowe Park Hospital. His long-term partner and her mother, Brenda Jones had been admitted as an inpatient. Eric Lamb, prosecuting, described how Ashworth, of New Heyes in Neston, was meanwhile travelling in the opposite direction in his Peugeot 3008 at the same time. The following collision was not caught on camera or witnessed by any other persons. Both motorists have "no recollection" of the event. But, due to markings left by the vehicles on the road surface, investigators concluded that the 62-year-old defendant's vehicle had "crossed the central divide into the oncoming carriageway," resulting in an impact to the front off-side of both cars. No defects were found on either the Ford or the Peugeot, with neither motorist being "impaired by alcohol or drugs" and no obstructions being noted in the highway. Mrs Jones, who grew up in Thornton Hough and lived in Neston for 50 years, was able to exit the vehicle following the crash. But the mum-of-five, nan-of-11 and great grandma-of-three died in hospital three days later due to "severe chest and abdominal injuries". In a statement that was read to the court on their behalf, her children detailed how they and other relatives arrived at the scene before the emergency services after being informed of the crash. They said: "We replay every moment in our heads like a slideshow. The constant images are a cruel reminder. We still expect to wake up and learn that this was all a dream. Just knowing how scared she would have been and the pain she would have felt consumes our minds every day. Mum was our laughter and our constant. She was the first person we called with good news or bad news." They also described their grandma as being left "heartbroken" when told of her daughter's death, with their statement adding: "To see her cry 'not my baby girl ' is something that still haunts us. She blamed herself and felt unnecessary guilt. The hardest thing has been watching our dad trying to be strong for us, knowing he's totally broken. "It feels like we've lost both parents. Although we know Mr Ashworth never set out that evening to intentionally hurt anyone, this has caused so much pain to so many people." Bryn Jones suffered fractures to his upper arm, collarbone and ribs during the crash and spent more than a fortnight in hospital. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. He outlined in his own statement how Brenda Jones, his partner of 16 years, passed away only three months later in November due to the "shock and sadness" of her daughter's death. Mr Jones added: "Christine and I were less than a quarter of a mile from Brenda's family home when the accident occurred. "I will never forget the devastation of Brenda being told that her daughter had died of her injuries. Christine cared for Brenda effectively full-time. I was devastated. The injuries I sustained are nothing compared to the emotional loss I felt as a result of the accident and the loss of my family." Mr Lamb finally read a statement from Christine Jones' husband Alan Jones, who said of the evening in question: "I kept looking at the clock, wondering why it was taking so long and thinking something must be wrong. I heard the phone ring and was told the news of the incident. She was only one minute away from home. "I went straight over to her, kissed her and promised her she would be ok. Her last words to me were 'please don't let me die'. I remained with her, kissing her face and holding her hand. The following days were unbearable. Christine and I met on the school bus when she was 13. She's all I've ever known. We were due to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary two months after her passing. "She was so looking forward to celebrating our life with our wonderful family and friends. I had to put the money we had saved for the party towards her funeral. Mr Lamb finally read a statement from Christine Jones' husband Alan Jones, who said of the evening in question: "I kept looking at the clock, wondering why it was taking so long and thinking something must be wrong. "I heard the phone ring and was told the news of the incident. She was only one minute away from home. I went straight over to her, kissed her and promised her she would be ok. Her last words to me were 'please don't let me die'. I remained with her, kissing her face and holding her hand. The following days were unbearable. "Christine and I met on the school bus when she was 13. She's all I've ever known. We were due to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary two months after her passing. She was so looking forward to celebrating our life with our wonderful family and friends. I had to put the money we had saved for the party towards her funeral. "I sit alone in the home she made constantly missing her and unable to do the things we wanted to do together. I feel totally lost without her. I visit Christine's grave every day as I don't want her to be alone. She was so afraid that evening. She even managed to get her phone out of her bag to call me as she was so desperate for me to be with her. "How she managed to do that, I'll never know." Ashworth sustained a fractured vertebrae, several broken ribs and a ruptured spleen in the collision. Under interview, he later told detectives that his "last recollection was being at traffic lights" but "recalled a kerb sticking out" which "may have been a reason" for his car crossing into the path of the other vehicle. He however "expressed remorse and asked for his apologies to be passed on". Darren Finnegan, defending, told the court: "He has asked me to express his profound remorse and how sorry he is to member of the family who are present in court today. Mr Ashworth has worked all of his life. He had joined the Royal Navy in 1980. He served in the Falklands as an engineer and left in 2002. "He currently works as a machinist for a local factory. He has one son who is 21 years of age, who he regularly goes mountain hiking with. On the day in question, Mr Ashworth had been to the gym. He had some food before leaving the gym and was driving to his ex-partner's house to housesit for her whilst her and their son went to Scotland for a holiday. "Mr Ashworth has no memory of the collision itself. He recalls navigating a kerb through the village. He then remembers an exchange with the emergency crews extracting him from his vehicle. He has no memory of how or why the collision occurred. This must have been a split second, momentary lapse in concentration. "There is no evidence of Mr Ashworth being distracted by his phone or anything of that nature. Mr Ashworth has no previous convictions. He is a man of good character. There is a character reference from his ex-partner. She describes him as being a kind, generous, supportive person who has put the needs and wants of others before those of himself many times. "He has a good driving record. He is remorseful. He feels sorry for the Joneses and was devastated to hear what happened to Mrs Jones. It was an instant which was entirely out of character for Mr Ashworth." Mr Finnegan detailed how Ashworth, who used a stick when walking to the dock, had later suffered a broken neck after falling down the stairs. He added: "He has paid his own price for his actions. His injuries including a fractured vertebrae, a ruptured spleen which had to be removed and broken ribs. He spent 16 or 17 days in hospital after the collision. Mr Ashworth's brother, towards the end of last year, took his own life. His brother's death followed that of his mother's death a few years earlier, a lady who Mr Ashworth had cared for. "Only a few weeks ago, Mr Ashworth was the victim of a serious assault when his ankle and arm were broken. Both injuries required surgery." Ashworth admitted causing death by careless driving and causing serious injury by careless driving. He appeared in the dock wearing a black suit over a white shirt and a tie emblazoned with a military crest on Wednesday. He showed no reaction as he was handed a 12-month imprisonment suspended for 18 months with a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 10 days. Members of Ms Jones' family were meanwhile seen embracing in the public gallery, with some having been in tears at times during the hearing. Ashworth was also banned from driving for two years and will be required to pass an extended retest before being allowed back on the roads. Sentencing, Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said: "I would like to state at the outset that this is a truly tragic case. A life has been lost and another gravely affected. No sentence I can pass today could ever reflect such loss for the victim and their families. "To them, I express my utmost sympathy. Naturally, questions arise. Why? How? The fact is that very little is known. You have no recollection of what happened. I accept that. Neither does Mr Bryn Jones. There is no evidence of a loss of control. There were no deficiencies with either vehicle. No one was impaired by alcohol or drugs. "There is no indication that excess speed was a factor, and yet there you were on the opposite side. What has resulted here is an incalculable loss in respect of many members of the family. The outstanding question is whether or not this must be served immediately or can it properly be suspended. "Factors in favour of suspending the sentence is that there are clearly reasonable prospects of rehabilitation. You do not present a danger to the public and there is strong personal mitigation. I do not consider, on balance, in all of the circumstances of this case, that immediate custody is demanded, and so the sentence will be suspended."
Scoop
5 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
‘Huge Impact': Residents Worry Over Traffic From New Tauranga Development
Residents of a Tauranga suburb are concerned a new housing development will have a 'huge impact' on traffic that is already 'horrendous'. The residents want a second access added to the planned 13-hectare Pukemapu subdivision in Ōhauiti to alleviate their concerns, but Tauranga City Council says doing so would be prohibitively expensive. The new subdivision will be built on land that slopes down from the Rowesdale subdivision towards Pukemapu Rd, and an existing Rowesdale Drive house will be demolished to build the only access road. The developer Carrus said it was unknown how many homes would be built but the council website said about 200 were planned. Kerrie, who did not want her surname published, lives near Rowesdale Drive and said she and some other neighbours wanted the subdivision's developers to build a second access to Pukemapu Rd, which connects to Oropi Rd, to alleviate traffic pressures through Ōhauiti. 'It'll have a huge impact on the traffic. The traffic's already horrendous. 'It's a wider community that's affected. It's not just us, it's all of Ōhauiti and probably some of Welcome Bay as well. 'The developer should have to put in that [second] access point.' The area also didn't have schools or amenities like a supermarket, she said. Kerrie said the council had told her access to the subdivision was the developers' responsibility. 'The council is telling us we need to fight this with the developer to get the new road put in. It's nothing to do with council.' The council bought two properties at the end of Rowesdale Drive in 2020 to enable access to the Pukemapu land. These properties had covenants that prohibited them being used to enable development of the adjoining land. The council needed agreement from the other 21 property owners who were under the same covenant to change it to provide access to land behind. The alternative was to use a Public Works Act acquisition or High Court process to change the covenant. Talks with owners started in December 2021. The property owners obtained legal representation and an agreement on compensation was reached with the council in January 2023. The covenants on the two Rowesdale Drive properties were revoked, enabling access and services to the developable land. The covenants on other Rowesdale subdivision properties stayed the same. Kerrie was also upset the council used ratepayer money to buy the homes. 'I just thought how unfair it was, our ratepayer money being used to buy two houses that they're just going to bowl down. They've used our ratepayer money to pay out [compensation to] those 21 properties.' Council strategy, growth and governance general manager Christine Jones said the council paid $2.33 million for the two properties but this would be paid back by the developer. Only one of the two homes would need to be demolished for the new road and the other house could be resold, she said. The total compensation for the 21 properties was $3.16m but the individual amounts were confidential, Jones said. The council paid two-thirds and the developer paid one-third but would pay the council share as development happened, she said. Developers Carrus and Classic Group were working together on the development and controlled most of the developable land, Jones said. Council investigations showed Rowesdale Drive was the most suitable access point, she said. Multiple access points were preferable but not possible because of constraints and the costs involved, Jones said. The Pukemapu Rd option was not feasible and had a prohibitive cost, she said. Traffic congestion was a 'significant issue' during weekday-morning peak-hour but outside this the network generally performed well in Ōhauiti, Jones said. 'While additional traffic will have effects on the community, the shortage of housing in the city also has significant impacts and this area is one of few options to make a meaningful addition to the city's housing supply in a relatively short timeframe.' The council agreed better schooling options were needed in the area and had been engaging with the Ministry of Education for some years, she said. 'We are also aware of the lack of retail and commercial offering in the suburb and plan to investigate this further as part of our upcoming review of commercial and industrial zones across the city.' The council was also considering investigating other access options for Ōhauiti, Jones said. Carrus managing director Scott Adams said they were working through options and timeframes for the development. 'We don't have a workable subdivision plan as yet.' Adams said it was unknown yet how many homes would be built. The land had been zoned residential for about 25 years, he said. Residential growth took up most of the water and wastewater capacity that was allocated for the project and no infrastructure planning or upsizing had occurred since despite the residential zoning, Adams said. Having multiple transport connections to the site would be awesome, he said. 'The reality is traffic congestion is a citywide problem, and every motorist in the city endures it daily.' In his view: 'Transport planning has been neglected in Tauranga for decades.' Investment was needed to invest in highway network upgrades across the city to allow traffic to flow better, Adams said.
BBC News
6 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Wife begged husband 'don't let me die' after Wirral crash
A woman fatally injured by a careless driver begged her husband "please don't let me die" while laying injured in the wreckage of a crash, a court has heard. Christine Jones, 68, was a minute away from her home in Thornton Hough, Wirral when the vehicle she was a passenger in was struck by a Peugeot 3008 car driven by 62-year-old Ian Ashworth. She had been visiting her mother in hospital before the collision at 21:05 BST on 14 August 2023. Ashworth, of New Heyes in Neston, was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, after admitting causing death and serious injury by careless driving at Liverpool Crown Court. Her mother's partner Bryn Jones, 81, who had been driving Ms Jones home from the hospital, was also severely injured in the collisionMrs Jones' husband of 50 years, Alan Jones, rushed to the scene on Thornton Common Road after his wife managed to her phone out of her bag and call him despite her injuries, the court heard. In a statement read at Ashworth's sentencing hearing, Mr Jones said: "I kissed her, promising her she would be ok. She said she was in so much pain."She said, 'please don't let me die'. I remained with her kissing her face and holding hands." Mrs Jones, a great-grandmother, died in hospital from her injuries three days later. Her husband told the court they had met on a school bus when she was 13 and had been saving money for their 50th wedding anniversary celebrations, due two months after the he said the money had to be used for her funeral instead."I visit her grave everyday as I don't want her to be alone", he said. "She was so afraid that evening and even managed to get her phone out of her bag to call me, desperate to see me. "How she managed to do that with those injuries she sustained I'll never know."Ashworth a former Royal Navy engineer, had been driving his Ford Fiesta and crossed into the oncoming carriageway near the Seven Stars pub. Eric Lamb, prosecuting, said neither driver had any recollection of the collision but a forensic expert concluded Ashworth's car "must have intruded into the south west lane". There was "no evidence of loss of control", said Mr suffered a ruptured spleen, which was removed, and fractured vertebrae and ribs. When interviewed by police, he expressed remorse and asked for his apologies to be passed Jones suffered fractures to his upper arm, collar bone, ribs and extensive bruising and was in hospital for more than two weeks. 'Truly tragic' Darren Finnegan, defending, said that Ashworth must have experienced "a momentary lapse of concentration". Mr Finnegan said his client was in hospital for 17 days and now walks with a stick."He has been described as a shadow of his former self," he said. Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said: "This is a truly tragic case. A life has been lost and another gravely affected."He said there was no suggestion that speed was a factor when Ashworth's car crossed into the oncoming lane. Ashworth was also ordered to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities and banned him from driving for two years, with a requirement to take an extended re-test before getting back behind the wheel. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
South Wales Argus
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- South Wales Argus
Newport £6M transport investment met with criticism
Announced earlier this year in April, the Welsh Government funding will go towards a range of projects, including developing active travel networks, expanding electric vehicle charging points, and improving bus infrastructure. However, the response from local people has been mixed, with social media users voicing frustration that basic road repairs are not being prioritised. Many residents took to Facebook to express their criticism. One reader said: "We just want our roads resurfaced." Another agreed, adding: "Need to fix the roads we have, before anything else." This sentiment was echoed repeatedly, with Ken Blacoe saying: "Start with the potholes in the roads," and Christine Jones stating: "How about using this money on fixing the potholes. Their priorities are definitely out of sink." Complaints extended beyond potholes, with some questioning the focus on active travel and electric vehicle infrastructure. One reader commented: "Forget about more roadside slow chargers that no knew will use. "Set aside 12 parking places at the sports village, it's rarely fully used. "Go to ionity and offer them fast track planning. "Then we can have cheap ultracharging at 43p matching the price of petrol and diesel. "Ionity will pay for the installation and pay rent to the council. "Quick charging for EVs at no cost to the taxpayer and bringing in an income for the council. "Next problem please... It only needs a bit of common sense." The decision to allocate £1 million from the resilient roads fund to continue work on Bassaleg Bridge also drew criticism, with one reader saying: "Apparently, the rebuilding of the essential Bassaleg bridge will be put off for at least another year or so, because the £1M that the WAG has given to do the work is not enough. "The WAG can only find £1M for the bridge, but 'found' over £83M to make changes to the Senedd building so that 36 extra MSs could be subjectively added." Others raised concerns about the overall state of the city's roads and the effectiveness of recent transport spending. One person wrote: "The roads are in a disgusting, dangerous state," while another questioned the value of new cycle lanes: "What a waste of money. "Where they not paying attention when Cardiff spent millions installing bike lanes that no one uses? "Now they want to put them in a dying town centre? "The logic escapes me." Despite the criticism, there were some supportive voices. Marc Carlton said: "A lot of moaning here but I'm not sure why. "More charging points - who can quibble with that? "Better cycle routes? "I see so many people in Newport that look like the side of a house that the more of them that get on a bike the better (for them and their health)." The council has yet to respond to the volume of concerns about road repairs and priorities, but with £6.8 million soon to be spent, many Newport residents will be watching closely to see if their calls for action are heard.
