‘he took his eyes off the road to look at his mobile phone’

A RECOVERY truck driver knocked down and killed a 91-year-old woman after he took his eyes off the road to look at his mobile phone, a court has heard. Geoffrey Royle is on trial for allegedly causing the death of Bessie ‘Eliza’ Blatchford by dangerous driving in Pinhoe Road, Exeter, on January 4 last year.

Royle admitted receiving a text message on his mobile phone from his wife and looking at it for around five seconds just before hitting Mrs Blatchford on a crossing.