Delivery Driver Jailed for Causing Elderly Woman's Death

In a tragic incident, a delivery driver named James Murdoch has been sentenced to 16 months in jail for causing the death of a 77-year-old woman, Victoria Blair, in Haltwhistle, Northumberland. The incident occurred on January 27, 2023, when Ms. Blair was walking nearby with a frame and was either hit by Murdoch's van or caused to fall due to his reversing maneuver.

Murdoch called the emergency services but then continued on with his deliveries, according to the prosecution. He was later traced by the police and told them that Ms. Blair had fallen behind his vehicle as he started to reverse out of a car park. CCTV footage and forensic inquiries confirmed that Ms. Blair had been walking nearby as she returned home from the shops, using a frame for support.

In September 2025, Murdoch was found guilty of causing death by careless driving and was sentenced to 16 months in prison. Additionally, he received a 12-month driving ban and was ordered to pay a victim surcharge. Ms. Blair's son and daughter expressed that Murdoch had not shown any remorse for his actions, stating, "Mam, we love you always and will never forget you, and you live on in us every day."

Sgt. Andrew Ferguson of Northumbria Police expressed his "deepest sympathies" to the victim's relatives and praised the "significant strength they have shown throughout the lengthy investigation and the proceedings which followed."