Man sentenced for causing death of Jordan Welsby in St Helens

Blackbrook half-back Jordan Welsby was 26 when he was hit by a Vauxhall Corsa on Borough Road on Boxing Day night in 2020.

He suffered a severe head injury and died five days later on December 31 that year in hospital.

The driver of the vehicle, Faisal Yasin, of Wensley Way, Rochdale, pleaded guilty to causing Jordan’s death by careless driving at a hearing in August.

He appeared for sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court today, Wednesday, September 20.

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Kate Morley prosecuting explained to the court the events leading up to the fatal crash.

She said: “The defendant was acting as takeaway driver working for his family’s business on Duke Street in St Helens and was out to deliver food to an address in Thatto Heath.

“At around 10.55pm, Jordan Welsby and his friend Daniel Fairhurst were leaving the Eccleston Arms on Downs Road and he had previously arranged for his girlfriend to pick him up.

“Mr Fairhurst told Mr Welsby to walk back up to Prescot Road to meet his girlfriend and said he was drunk but didn’t appear confused or staggering and this was the last time he saw him.”

The court then heard how Mr Welsby crossed Prescot Road and was then in the first offside lane crossing Borough Road when the collision took place at 11pm, 70 metres from the pedestrian crossing.

She added: “Mr Yasin stayed at the scene and told police ‘I didn’t see him, I didn’t see him.’”

She confirmed that forensic searches of Mr Yasin’s phone show he had sent a Snapchat message “within a minute” before the crash but that he did have unread and unopened messages that had been received since then and it was not known if he had known this at the time of collision.

CCTV footage from the Eccleston Arms showed the crash - which Mr Welsby’s family left the courtroom for - and showed that Mr Welsby was in Judge Neil Flewitt’s words “most of the way across the road” and confirmed that the weather condition were extreme and took place during Storm Bella.

The court then heard how forensic officers undertook the route that Mr Yasin took at the appropriate speed limit.

Judge Flewitt asserted that, travelling at that speed, if Yasin had seen Jordan, he could have stopped”.

Ms Morley prosecuting added that lighting on the night in question was good and additional lighting from nearby meant the area was well lit.

Yasin was seen crying and rocking in the dock while the prosecution and and defence barristers gave their submissions.

His defence said he had suffered from PTSD since the collision.

Faisal Yasin was given an immediate prison sentence (Image: Merseyside Police)

Sentencing Yasin, judge Flewitt KC said “if it hadn’t been for the use of the mobile phone” he could have suspended his prison sentence adding “it’s important I send a message of deterrence to people who are minded to drive vehicles” while sending or receiving messages and “therefore put themselves at risk of losing their concentration and causing serious injury or even death".

The judge added: “That is, in my view, the determining factor.”

He sentenced Yasin to 10 months imprisonment of which he must serve half in custody.

The 25-year-old was also banned from driving for an additional 12 months after this.

Detective Sergeant Kurt Timpson, Lead Investigating Officer for Merseyside Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit said, “My thoughts and that of my team remain with Jordan’s family and his girlfriend, who we have supported throughout this case.  Death on the roads is sudden, traumatic and causes so much pain and suffering for those left behind.

“Merseyside Police is committed to working in partnership with other agencies, charities and groups to prevent serious injury and loss of life on our roads. 

“We support the international aim of ‘VISION ZERO’, an ethos where we want to see the end to injury and death on the roads in our communities.  Each of us have a responsibility as we work towards this. 

“The use of the roads should be treated with care and respect and we will continue to challenge, educate or prosecute offenders for the benefit of all road users”.