Man accused of crash deaths was told not to drive

Dean and Charlie Lowe died after being hit by a vehicle on La Rue de Fauvic in Grouville on 5 August 2023

A woman warned a man accused of killing a father and son in a car crash not to drive, a court has heard.

Dean Lowe, 48, and his son Charlie, 11, died after being hit by a vehicle on La Rue de Fauvic in Grouville on 5 August last year.

Dylan Pounds has admitted causing death by careless driving and failing to stop and report an accident but denies two charges of causing death by dangerous driving and another of causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs.

Sarah Blake told Jersey's Royal Court on Tuesday that she overheard Mr Pounds and a friend talking in a pub about driving to Gorey.

'Too much to drink'

Ms Blake told the court she met Mr Pounds and his friend Callum Best at the Pembroke pub.

When she and her friends discussed going to the Dolphin Hotel in Gorey, Ms Blake said she overheard Mr Pounds and Mr Best talking about driving to the village themselves.

She said she told the pair: "Guys, you've had too much to drink. You mustn't drive."

Ms Blake said she gave them a lift to the Dolphin and she had a vivid memory of Mr Pounds being on the dancefloor with a pint.

She said he was very drunk and was not conscious he was spilling his drink.

Sarah Blake said she gave Dylan Pounds and his friend Callum Best a lift to the Dolphin Hotel

The court heard from Mr Best who said he and Mr Pounds had agreed to go to the Union Inn to play pool.

Mr Best said he could not remember if they had three or four pints at the Union, but he and Mr Pounds had consumed the same number of drinks.

While watching footage from the Dolphin, Mr Best said he could not recall his time there.

He also said he did not remember getting on the bus, any phone calls made while he was on his way home, or where Mr Pounds went.

The court heard Dylan Pounds went back to the Pembroke, where he had parked his van

The court also heard evidence from one of the people who found the Lowes on the side of the road where the crash which killed them occurred.

Andrew Fairnie, who had also been at the Dolphin on the same day, said he and his wife found the father and son in the road as they drove home along Rue de Fauvic.

Mr Fairnie said there was debris including lights, glass, reflectors and a VW badge strewn across the road, and he and his wife stayed with the Lowes until the emergency services arrived.

On Monday, the court was told Mr Pounds left the Dolphin Hotel at about 21:20 BST, about 25 minutes before the crash which killed the Lowes happened, and got on a bus with Mr Best.

The prosecution said Mr Pounds got off the bus at Grouville Station and went to the Pembroke car park - where his van was - before driving off just after 21:35.

The trial continues.