A JURY has cleared a van driver of causing death by careless driving after a 90 year old pedestrian was killed in Lower Weybourne Lane last year.

Christopher Cook, 48, of Selborne Avenue, Aldershot, was found not guilty at the culmination of his trial at Guildford Crown Court last Friday.

It comes after pensioner Dennis Jackson was hit by Mr Cook’s Vauxhall Vivaro grey panel van as he crossed Lower Weybourne Road on the evening of July 19, 2017.

Mr Jackson, who the court heard was crossing the road to get help for his elderly sister after she was taken ill, was flown to Southampton General Hospital by air ambulance, where he was pronounced dead at around 11.20pm.

Prosecutors accused Mr Cook of not paying enough attention, but the builder denied the charge.

He told the jury he had reduced his speed to take account of the low sun and saw Mr Jackson’s head above a line of parked cars, but it didn’t occur to him that he would step out into the road.