PETTS WOOD: Fatal crash driver had spent evening in pub (From News Shopper)

PETTS WOOD: Fatal crash driver had spent evening in pub

5:28pm Tuesday 8th September 2009 in News By Robert Fisk

A DRIVER who was killed when his car swerved off the road and hit a tree in Petts Wood had been drinking before the crash, a court heard today.

It was also claimed Lee Waite may have been uninsured when he drove his six friends back from a petrol station after buying cigarettes and alcohol.

One of his front-seat passengers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of grabbing the steering wheel of Mr Waite’s Mini Cooper just before the collision.

Mr Waite was killed at the scene in Southborough Lane after the vehicle crashed into a tree and hit a wall.

The Old Bailey jury heard how there was a birthday celebration at The Chequers pub and the 21-year-old had spent the evening there with his friends.

One witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she watched as he drank a Jack Daniels and Coke.

But a friend of Mr Waite, George Killick, told the court they had been buying rounds of Fosters lager before going back to a nearby friend’s house to drink some more.

He said: “There was one can of beer between us [at the house] so someone said ‘Lets get some more drink’ so we went [to the petrol station].

“I bought 12 beers and there might have been a couple of girls who bought a couple of bottles of wine or something like that.”

In his original statement to the police Mr Killick said he was not sure about what kind of driving licence Mr Waite, of Narrow Way, Bromley Common, had.

He also said Mr Waite drove carefully because he did not have any insurance and so did not want to have a crash.

Mr Killick had been aware of a warning light on the car’s dashboard blinking in the days before the accident in the early hours of February 10 last year, the court heard.

In his police statement the witness said: “A light on the dashboard used to come on which was a problem on the airbag.

“I think something was done to make the light stop flashing.”

But the 19-year-old told the court he had still been in shock about his friend’s death when he made the statement and denies knowing anything about problems with the car or insurance.

He said: “I was obviously shocked.

“I did not even know the police officer came in to my house to do the statement.”

Anthony Whitehouse, for the defence, accused Mr Killick accused of colluding with another prosecution witness Richard Rutter, who gave evidence yesterday.

Mr Whitehouse said: “You said you cannot tell us anything more than the others.

“You knew before you took the stand today because you have discussed the evidence with him.

“Richard and Lee shouted [just before the crash] but in your statement you make absolutely no mention of that evidence.

“You repeated that part of his witness statement.

“That has come directly from Richard and that is not your recollection at all.”

But Mr Killick denied the accusation.

The case continues.