A businessman will now spend more than two years behind bars after he accelerated over a pedestrian crossing at 20mph over the speed limit, killing a pensioner and his pet dog.

Convicted during a trial last month, Ben Trigger, 29, was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving. The defendant has previously been banned for drink-drinking twice and on this occasion was behind the wheel of his Ford Ranger pick-up truck when he hit Abdelkader Dhrif, 70, on the A580 East Lancashire Road in Worsley, Salford, at 3.30pm on November 20, 2019.

Mr Dhrifand his pet dog, Maisie, died. During a court hearing today (May 9), they were told of the devastating impact the crash had on Mr Dhrif's family, reports the Manchester Evening News.

He was a Grandfather from Boothstown known affectionately as Tony, before Trigger was handed a prison sentence. The court was told that Mr Dhrif was on the crossing with his dog while it was on red for pedestrians and green for motorists at the junction with Ellenbrook Road and Newearth Road.

However, following two hours of deliberations by the jury Trigger, of Merton Grove, Astley, Wigan, was convicted of death by dangerous driving. He was accelerating at the time and was travelling at 60mph, 20mph above the speed limit.

In his defence, Trigger told his trial: "All I know is I believed I was doing the speed limit, I was with the flow of traffic. I don’t believe I was doing anything that was dangerous or unsafe." Trigger said he had travelled to Manchester city centre to get some trousers altered, before returning to his home in Wigan.

Peter Cadwallader, prosecuting, read out a series of victim impact statements penned by heartbroken relatives of Mr Dhrif at the sentencing hearing at Manchester Crown Court on Monday morning.

His wife Susan recalled the 'chaos' of the day of the collision near her home and said the impact of his death was 'enormous'. "When I go shopping I have to pass the scene on most days which I find very hard to do," she wrote..

"For the first six months I could not tell you what was going on. I was so distressed. I could not breathe. I have so much pain in my chest and I'm a nervous wreck," Mrs Dhrif added.

The widow described how, whilst walking her new pet dog, she would 'cry continuously'. "The loneliness, being on my own all the time and still being in lockdown was extremely difficult," she wrote.

The couple were due to celebrate their 43 year anniversary two months after his death and had lots of things planned after Susan had taken early retirement. "I find it very difficult to accept that I will never see my kind, caring, loving husband again," she said. Abdelkader had a 'beautiful character'.

Mrs Dhrif explained to the court that the family were upset her husband's body had been kept by the authorities for four weeks. She said as a Muslim he 'should have been buried immediately'

"I don't think I will ever get over it. I'm lost, lonely and feeling very vulnerable," she wrote, adding that the delay of two years and four months in finalising the criminal case had added to the family's distress. Leila Crage, Mr Dhrif's daughter is an A&E nurse and she said she would 'never forget the worst phone call I have ever received' from her sister following the tragedy.

She wrote: "She was hysterical, trying to tell me that there had been an accident and that our father had been killed. She was over-ridden with grief and hysteria. She ended the call quickly with me not knowing exactly what was going on. I was unable to get hold of my mother. I was panicking with this overwhelming feeling of nausea."

It was only after a phone call from the police that Leila, who lives 250 miles away, realised 'the nightmare was true and my father had died on a pedestrian crossing'.

Referring to the defendant Trigger, she wrote: "Had the driver been driving at the correct speed, the chances are my father would still be alive today.." The delay in bringing the case to a conclusion at court was 'unnecessary and cruel'.

Ms Craig said her mother had been 'ripped apart by grief'. "We lost our mum that day too," she said. She criticised the 'total lack of regard' the defendant had shown by his driving.

Mr Dhrif's other daughter Sara wrote: "The death of my father has caused so much pain." She recalled how her father routinely rang her each day and she worried when she didn't receive her usual call from him. When she tried him there was no answer and she 'started to worry'.

Later that day Sara described how a friend posted about an incident on the East Lancs Road on a WhatsApp group. Her mother called to tell her 'your dad has gone'. She described the traumatic affect her father's death had had on her. Sara, referring to the defendant, said: "If you are driving 20 miles per hour over the speed limit, you have to accept that there may be consequences."

The court heard how Trigger was convicted of drink-driving in April 2008 when he was just 17 and then again in 2009 when he was 18. This time he was banned from driving for three years. In February 2010, Trigger was handed a suspended prison sentence after he was caught driving while disqualified.

Robert Cole QC, defending, asked the judge to take into account the delay in bringing the case to court, which he said was not the fault of his client, who had been on bail. The QC said his client had written a letter for the court in which he 'is fully understanding of the effect on Mr Dhrif's family'. He pointed out his client was only 17 and 18 when he was previously convicted of drink-driving, and he asked the judge to consider suspending any prison sentence.

Trigger had 'had shown his ability to graft and work hard' and had created a 'successful business' supplying the building industry. His client had 'learned a lesson'," said the QC.

Judge Conrad QC jailed Trigger for two years and six months. He said: "You killed a man because you were driving too fast in all the circumstances. Had you not been driving too fast, he would not have died."

The judge described how Mr Dhrif was walking his dog at the time and and was 'greatly loved' by his family. Mr Dhrif was 'within the confines of the pedestrian crossing' which was red for pedestrians and green for motorists at the time, said the judge.

"He had reached somewhere in the outside lane when he was struck by your vehicle. He died as a result of his injuries," said Judge Conrad.

The speed limit at that section of the road was 40mph. The defendant had reached 50mph and then 'accelerated' to a little over 60mph at the junction, said the judge, who added: "Had you been travelling at the correct speed, you would have been able to stop in time to avoid a collision. Driving that way is obviously dangerous, as the jury found."

Judge Conrad stressed to the court that in no way was Mr Dhirf to blame but he said judicial sentencing guidelines required him to take into account when the actions of the deceased 'contributed to the accident'. He told the defendant: "You will one day be able to rebuild your life. Mr Dhrif does not have that possibility."

Trigger was also banned from driving for three years and two months and was ordered to pay £2,000 towards prosecution costs. He showed no reaction as he was led away to begin his sentence.

https://www.lancs.live/news/uk-world-news/speeding-driver-killed-caring-grandfather-23907192

OLD NEWS: 9 May 2022

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> https://www.lancs.live/news/uk-world-news/speeding-driver-killed-caring-grandfather-23907192

--
Spike

On 21/10/2023 11:48 am, Simon Mason wrote:
> A businessman will now spend more than two years behind bars after he accelerated over a pedestrian crossing at 20mph over the speed limit, killing a pensioner and his pet dog.
>
> Convicted during a trial last month, Ben Trigger, 29, was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving. The defendant has previously been banned for drink-drinking twice and on this occasion was behind the wheel of his Ford Ranger pick-up truck when he hit Abdelkader Dhrif, 70, on the A580 East Lancashire Road in Worsley, Salford, at 3.30pm on November 20, 2019.
>
> Mr Dhrifand his pet dog, Maisie, died. During a court hearing today (May 9), they were told of the devastating impact the crash had on Mr Dhrif's family, reports the Manchester Evening News.
>
> He was a Grandfather from Boothstown known affectionately as Tony, before Trigger was handed a prison sentence. The court was told that Mr Dhrif was on the crossing with his dog while it was on red for pedestrians and green for motorists at the junction with Ellenbrook Road and Newearth Road.
>
> However, following two hours of deliberations by the jury Trigger, of Merton Grove, Astley, Wigan, was convicted of death by dangerous driving. He was accelerating at the time and was travelling at 60mph, 20mph above the speed limit.
>
> In his defence, Trigger told his trial: "All I know is I believed I was doing the speed limit, I was with the flow of traffic. I don’t believe I was doing anything that was dangerous or unsafe." Trigger said he had travelled to Manchester city centre to get some trousers altered, before returning to his home in Wigan.
>
> Peter Cadwallader, prosecuting, read out a series of victim impact statements penned by heartbroken relatives of Mr Dhrif at the sentencing hearing at Manchester Crown Court on Monday morning.
>
> His wife Susan recalled the 'chaos' of the day of the collision near her home and said the impact of his death was 'enormous'. "When I go shopping I have to pass the scene on most days which I find very hard to do," she wrote.
>
> "For the first six months I could not tell you what was going on. I was so distressed. I could not breathe. I have so much pain in my chest and I'm a nervous wreck," Mrs Dhrif added.
>
> The widow described how, whilst walking her new pet dog, she would 'cry continuously'. "The loneliness, being on my own all the time and still being in lockdown was extremely difficult," she wrote.
>
> The couple were due to celebrate their 43 year anniversary two months after his death and had lots of things planned after Susan had taken early retirement. "I find it very difficult to accept that I will never see my kind, caring, loving husband again," she said. Abdelkader had a 'beautiful character'.
>
> Mrs Dhrif explained to the court that the family were upset her husband's body had been kept by the authorities for four weeks. She said as a Muslim he 'should have been buried immediately'
>
> "I don't think I will ever get over it. I'm lost, lonely and feeling very vulnerable," she wrote, adding that the delay of two years and four months in finalising the criminal case had added to the family's distress. Leila Crage, Mr Dhrif's daughter is an A&E nurse and she said she would 'never forget the worst phone call I have ever received' from her sister following the tragedy.
>
> She wrote: "She was hysterical, trying to tell me that there had been an accident and that our father had been killed. She was over-ridden with grief and hysteria. She ended the call quickly with me not knowing exactly what was going on. I was unable to get hold of my mother. I was panicking with this overwhelming feeling of nausea."
>
> It was only after a phone call from the police that Leila, who lives 250 miles away, realised 'the nightmare was true and my father had died on a pedestrian crossing'.
>
> Referring to the defendant Trigger, she wrote: "Had the driver been driving at the correct speed, the chances are my father would still be alive today." The delay in bringing the case to a conclusion at court was 'unnecessary and cruel'.
>
> Ms Craig said her mother had been 'ripped apart by grief'. "We lost our mum that day too," she said. She criticised the 'total lack of regard' the defendant had shown by his driving.
>
> Mr Dhrif's other daughter Sara wrote: "The death of my father has caused so much pain." She recalled how her father routinely rang her each day and she worried when she didn't receive her usual call from him. When she tried him there was no answer and she 'started to worry'.
>
> Later that day Sara described how a friend posted about an incident on the East Lancs Road on a WhatsApp group. Her mother called to tell her 'your dad has gone'. She described the traumatic affect her father's death had had on her. Sara, referring to the defendant, said: "If you are driving 20 miles per hour over the speed limit, you have to accept that there may be consequences."
>
> The court heard how Trigger was convicted of drink-driving in April 2008 when he was just 17 and then again in 2009 when he was 18. This time he was banned from driving for three years. In February 2010, Trigger was handed a suspended prison sentence after he was caught driving while disqualified.
>
> Robert Cole QC, defending, asked the judge to take into account the delay in bringing the case to court, which he said was not the fault of his client, who had been on bail. The QC said his client had written a letter for the court in which he 'is fully understanding of the effect on Mr Dhrif's family'. He pointed out his client was only 17 and 18 when he was previously convicted of drink-driving, and he asked the judge to consider suspending any prison sentence.
>
> Trigger had 'had shown his ability to graft and work hard' and had created a 'successful business' supplying the building industry. His client had 'learned a lesson'," said the QC.
>
> Judge Conrad QC jailed Trigger for two years and six months. He said: "You killed a man because you were driving too fast in all the circumstances. Had you not been driving too fast, he would not have died."
>
> The judge described how Mr Dhrif was walking his dog at the time and and was 'greatly loved' by his family. Mr Dhrif was 'within the confines of the pedestrian crossing' which was red for pedestrians and green for motorists at the time, said the judge.
>
> "He had reached somewhere in the outside lane when he was struck by your vehicle. He died as a result of his injuries," said Judge Conrad.
>
> The speed limit at that section of the road was 40mph. The defendant had reached 50mph and then 'accelerated' to a little over 60mph at the junction, said the judge, who added: "Had you been travelling at the correct speed, you would have been able to stop in time to avoid a collision. Driving that way is obviously dangerous, as the jury found."
>
> Judge Conrad stressed to the court that in no way was Mr Dhirf to blame but he said judicial sentencing guidelines required him to take into account when the actions of the deceased 'contributed to the accident'. He told the defendant: "You will one day be able to rebuild your life. Mr Dhrif does not have that possibility."
>
> Trigger was also banned from driving for three years and two months and was ordered to pay £2,000 towards prosecution costs. He showed no reaction as he was led away to begin his sentence.
>
> https://www.lancs.live/news/uk-world-news/speeding-driver-killed-caring-grandfather-23907192

I am not going to defend anyone doing 60 on a stretch of road (even the
dual carriageway A580) in a reasonably built up area where the limit is
40 - far from it - but "pedestrian crossing' ... red for pedestrians and
green for motorists at the time"? That has to be contributory and the
judge was right to mention it and make whatever adjustments to sentence
were appropriate.
>

QUOTE: However, following two hours of deliberations by the jury Trigger, of Merton Grove, Astley, Wigan, was convicted of death by dangerous driving. He was accelerating at the time and was travelling at 60mph, 20mph above the speed limit. In his defence, Trigger told his trial: "All I know is I believed I was doing the speed limit, I was with the flow of traffic. I don’t believe I was doing anything that was dangerous or unsafe. ENDS

The mind boggles - 60 in a 30 was not unsafe?

On 21/10/2023 02:47 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

> QUOTE: However, following two hours of deliberations by the jury Trigger, of Merton Grove, Astley, Wigan, was convicted of death by dangerous driving. He was accelerating at the time and was travelling at 60mph, 20mph above the speed limit. In his defence, Trigger told his trial: "All I know is I believed I was doing the speed limit, I was with the flow of traffic. I don’t believe I was doing anything that was dangerous or unsafe. ENDS
>
> The mind boggles - 60 in a 30 was not unsafe?

60 minus 20 = 40.

But you didn't even know that.

More arithmetic revision by you needed. We'll have to stop you going to
those youth clubs.

On Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 2:47:51 PM UTC+1, Simon Mason wrote:
> QUOTE: However, following two hours of deliberations by the jury Trigger, of Merton Grove, Astley, Wigan, was convicted of death by dangerous driving. He was accelerating at the time and was travelling at 60mph, 20mph above the speed limit. In his defence, Trigger told his trial: "All I know is I believed I was doing the speed limit, I was with the flow of traffic. I don’t believe I was doing anything that was dangerous or unsafe. ENDS
>
> The mind boggles - 60 in a 30 was not unsafe?

"Trigger?
Only fools and killer drivers. :-)

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 2:47:51 PM UTC+1, Simon Mason wrote:
>> QUOTE: However, following two hours of deliberations by the jury
>> Trigger, of Merton Grove, Astley, Wigan, was convicted of death by
>> dangerous driving. He was accelerating at the time and was travelling at
>> 60mph, 20mph above the speed limit. In his defence, Trigger told his
>> trial: "All I know is I believed I was doing the speed limit, I was with
>> the flow of traffic. I don’t believe I was doing anything that was
>> dangerous or unsafe. ENDS
>>
>> The mind boggles - 60 in a 30 was not unsafe?
>
> "Trigger?
> Only fools and killer drivers. :-)

Trigger could count, but it seems you can’t…

--
Spike

QUOTE: Trigger said he had travelled to Manchester city centre to get some trousers altered, before returning to his home in Wigan. ENDS

You'll get your own trousers in jail - no need to worry.