Man guilty of causing crash which killed Wyke Regis woman

Edgaras Kondratas, who had been collecting bags of clothes on behalf of a charity, reversed his van over pedestrian Sylvia Bentley outside her home in Wyke Regis before moving forward, and hitting her again.

After a jury returned an unanimous guilty verdict yesterday, a judge heard that Kondratas, 40, has three other motoring convictions - including one just 16 days after the fatal crash for using a mobile phone at the wheel.

His other convictions are for speeding and running a red traffic signal.

Following the fatal crash in Wooland Gardens, Wyke Regis on May 2, 2023, the defendant had denied causing death by driving his van without due care and consideration while over the specified limit for a controlled drug (cannabis).

A trial has been taking place at Winchester Crown Court since Monday.

Lithuanian Kondratas, who has been living in the UK for 11 years, and is a married father-of-two, will be sentenced in December.

The jury heard that on the day of the fatal crash, Kondratas had been collecting bags when he stopped his van at the end of a cul-de-sac in Wooland Gardens.

Wooland Gardens (Image: Tom Lawrence)

He stopped the van, which had its front tyres on the pavement, and stepped out to collect a bag from a nearby property.

When he returned, he failed to see Mrs Bentley had walked onto the road behind the van, most likely to get past the vehicle due to its position on the pavement.

Kondratas reversed over her before moving forward, hitting her again, only realising what had happened when he got out of the vehicle.

This caused 'catastrophic' head injuries to Mrs Bentley, the jury heard.

Police cordon on Wooland Gardens (Image: Cristiano Magaglio/Dorset Echo)

Mr Gabb, prosecuting, argued that Kondratas had driven carelessly and without consideration, saying he should have checked his blind spot.

He said the van's rear camera - that it uses instead of a rear mirror - would have clearly shown Mrs Bentley from the moment Kondratas returned to the driver's seat.

Upon taking the stand on Wednesday, Kondratas said he 'accepts responsibility for the death of Mrs Bentley', but added: “I don’t think it was possible to avoid this tragedy.

“I don’t want to blame Mrs Bentley, but she could have chosen to walk on the sidewalk."

Ms Mertens, defending, said that whilst the vehicle did have cameras, they were not standard across similar vans that Kondratas was used to, which was why he relied on his mirrors, which he had checked.

Kondratas, of Peartree Close, Southampton, was found to have 2.8 micrograms of THC (cannabis) in his blood; the legal limit is 2 micrograms. He told the jury he smoked cannabis the day before and not on the day of the incident.

The jury heard from witnesses, experts and Kondratas himself, and also saw CCTV footage recorded from the van showing the exact moment of the crash.

After three hours and 31 minutes of deliberation, the jury found Kondratas, guilty.

The judge, His Honour Judge Mousley KC told the defendant: "The jury have convicted you unanimously of a very serious offence. I am not going to sentence you today, because I want more information about you from the probation service."

Kondratas will be sentenced at crown court on December 6, once a pre-sentence report has been prepared.

He is on police bail and has been given an interim driving disqualification.