Haddenham driver guilty of swinging door death

A driver from Haddenham has been found guilty of causing the death of an elderly woman when he failed to secure the door of his refridgerated lorry.

Mrs Kay Kemp, 80, suffered fatal head injuries when she was hit by the swinging door as she was walking in Goring-on-Thames high street.

Mervyn Davies, of Dollicott, Haddenham, was found guilty of causing Mrs Kemp’s death by dangerous driving at Oxford Crown Court yesterday (22/04/09).

Davies, 55, had failed to properly close and secure the rear door of his refrigerated lorry after dropping off meat at a butcher’s shop.

Gilbert Virgo, who witnessed the accident, is reported to have said: “As it accelerated up the hill, not at any great speed, I saw the van door fly open and hit the lady in the face.
“I raced over but she had a very deep gash to her head and though her eyes were open she was not responding to anything or moving.”

Mrs Kemp died later in hospital of a head injury.

Davies was disqualified from driving and will be sentenced on May 22.