Speeding driver who left schoolboy Josh Osborne dying in road after Orpington bypass crash found guilty

David Lockyer
MPS
WEST END FINAL

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An MOT examiner who ran over and killed an 11-year-old schoolboy as he was walking home from a day at the funfair is facing jail.  

David Lockyer, 74, was speeding and had just left the pub when he struck Josh Osborne with his Ford Fiesta on the Orpington bypass.  

Despite knowing he had hit the boy, Lockyer carried on driving and only returned to the crash scene when another motorist chased after him and confronted him.  

Woolwich crown court heard Lockyer knew he did not have a valid driving licence when he got behind the wheel, as it had expired three months earlier.  

He had posted the renewal form off on the same morning of the fatal crash, on April 13 last year.  

Lockyer denied but was convicted yesterday of causing death by careless driving and causing death by driving without a licence.  

He faces a possible prison term when sentenced on January 22 next year.  

"This is an absolutely tragic case in which the life of a young boy has been lost due to an act of careless driving”, said Detective Sergeant Steve Cannings, of the Met's Serious Collision Investigation Unit.

"The anguish of Josh's family has been compounded by the fact Lockyer should not have been driving at the time of the collision as he did not have a valid licence.

"I would like to praise the dignity and courage of Josh's family who have attended every day of the trial and I support their efforts to ensure a case like this never happens again."

Josh was walking home from a day out at the funfair when he was hit by Lockyer’s car, in an ill-fated attempt to cross the bypass.   

Josh Osborne
Met Police

Two friends crossed the road first in front of Lockyer’s car, but he failed to slow down despite the obvious danger. 

Police found Lockyer had been breaking the 40mph speed limit moments before hitting Josh, and accelerated back to 45mph moments after the fatal collision.  

He later told police he had drunk two pints of bitter at the pub prior to the crash.  

“Notwithstanding the fact he knew he had knocked Josh down and that was very apparent from the nature of the collision, he (Lockyer) continued to drive”, said prosecutor James Lofthouse.  

“He didn’t stop at the scene of the collision.  

“He drove on for about half a mile and he was chased by a man who had been driving behind him and who saw the collision take place.  

“That man chased him up the road and confronted him at some traffic lights about the fact he hadn’t stopped. It was only at that stage that the defendant returned to the scene of the collision.”

Lockyer, from Orpington, was released on bail until the sentencing hearing in the new year.  

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