Elderly Driver Kills Grandmother, Then Buys Glasses

An inquest detailed a tragic accident where 90-year-old Colin Kirby-Green reversed into 85-year-old Patricia Jepson in a Colchester Waitrose car park. Mrs. Jepson sustained fatal injuries and passed away nine days later in a Cambridge hospital. Despite the severity of the incident, Kirby-Green drove to Specsavers to pick up new eyeglasses immediately afterward.

Criminal charges, including causing death by dangerous driving, were brought against Kirby-Green. However, these were dismissed because he was deemed unfit to stand trial due to advanced dementia. A subsequent trial of facts determined that he had indeed committed dangerous driving, but the judge granted an absolute discharge given his medical condition.

The inquest revealed Kirby-Green had recently undergone cataract surgery and was using pre-surgery glasses at the time of the accident. He subsequently failed a roadside eye test. Further contributing factors included arthritis in his neck, which limited his ability to turn properly while reversing, a condition he had not reported to the DVLA. The coroner expressed sympathy to both families involved.