Cocaine cabbie jailed for Liverpool pensioner death

A taxi driver under the influence of cocaine when he fatally hit a pensioner has been jailed for more than four years.

Paul Morrison, 43, knocked over Andrew Oakden, 89, as he crossed the road in Gateacre, Liverpool in February 2017.

The victim's sister said: "It was the hardest decision of my life having to agree to turn off his life-support machine."

Morrison, from Sefton Park, admitted causing death by careless driving.

He was jailed for four years and four months.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Mr Oakden was returning from a night out at Gateacre Institute Club and was crossing Grange Lane when he was hit by Morrison's private hire vehicle at about 23:25 GMT on 18 February.

He was taken to hospital but died the next day.

The court heard Morrison was travelling at 37 mph in a 30 mph zone when he hit Mr Oakden on a clear night with good visibility and that the taxi driver did not brake until the last moment.

Morrison, who had taken a gram of cocaine 24 hours earlier, failed a roadside drugs test.

The prosecution said the drug could affect concentration and cause fatigue and drowsiness.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, his sister Anne Dickinson said: "It was the hardest decision of my life having to agree to turn off his life-support machine.

"Andrew was 19 years older than me. He was more like a father to me than a brother. I could talk to him about everything. I still miss him every day."

Morrison was also disqualified from driving for five years and two months.

Sgt Phil Mitchell from Merseyside Police said the sentence "should serve as a stark warning to road users who may consider driving whilst under the influence".