Epileptic jailed for death crash

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An epileptic man who suffered a fit at the wheel of his car and ploughed into another vehicle, killing the driver, has been jailed on Merseyside.

Alan Green, of Sterling Lane, Woolton was sentenced to three years and three months in prison for causing the death of Ronald Ellis by dangerous driving.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Green, 37, had not told the DVLA of his condition.

The court heard Green's stepdaughter, who was inside, tried to steer the BMW out of danger before the crash.

The judge said the risk Green took was always going to end in an bad accident.

He made a massive misjudgement about his condition Andrew Fitzpatrick, defending

Green had been at the wheel in a queue of traffic at lights in Hillfoot Road and Menlove Avenue, Woolton in the morning rush hour when he had a seizure.

His stepdaughter, 12, who had been in the vehicle said he slouched forward and the automatic car went forward at speed.

She then steered it into a central reservation, in an attempt to avoid danger, but the BMW collided with the back of a green Ford Mondeo driven by 56-year-old Mr Ellis.

He died from his injuries after the crash on 2 February this year.

The judge added: "It seems to me that you wished for reasons of your own to minimise the effect of your epilepsy.

"Partly because you did not want it to seem more serious than it was and partly because it would interfere with the convenience of having a motor vehicle."

'Genuinely remorseful'

Green, was also disqualified from driving for five years.

Andrew Fitzpatrick, defending said Green, who had no previous convictions, was diagnosed with epilepsy in the early 1990's but had never had a seizure during the day.

"He accepts should not have been driving because he failed to make proper disclosure of his condition. He acknowledges his decision to drive was not a proper one and is genuinely remorseful," said Mr Fitzpatrick.

"He made a massive misjudgement about his condition."