Ellesmere Port man jailed for killing much-loved Chester woman

Paul Wright, 31, of Westenra Avenue, previously pleaded guilty at Chester Crown Court to causing the death of 57-year-old Upton resident Jane Louise Hickson on November 5, 2023, by dangerous driving.

He silently sobbed throughout his sentencing hearing at the same court on Thursday, January 25, as Honorary Recorder of Chester Judge Steven Everett told him the prolonged bout of "selfish and self-entitled" driving on "a wet and greasy" Liverpool Road had "devastating consequences for so many people".

Paul Wright. (Image: Cheshire Police.)

The court heard Wright, who had become a father for the second time the day before, had driven his BMW X5 at speeds of up to 60mph on the 40mph (later 30mph) dual carriageway, dangerously passing other cars, running red lights and "giving the finger" to one witness in their car in the moments before the collision happened at the Beechway junction.

The judge rejected the defendant's excuse, that he was rushing to the Countess of Chester Hospital because his partner had told him their new-born baby had "gone missing" in the hospital, as "ridiculous".

Judge Everett likened the defendant's "self-entitled" actions to "a knight on a charging horse", adding: "What was he expecting to do – barge into the maternity unit and demand 'where is my baby?' Just absolutely trite. I totally reject it."

Prosecuting, Mark Connor said it was about 10.30am on Sunday, November 5 when witnesses driving on Liverpool Road looked on in shock at Wright's bad driving, with one describing it as "insane and ridiculous" and other remarking: "He is going to kill himself or someone else."

Wright approached the Beechway junction when a car was stationary at the red traffic lights, and undertook that car as he went through the red light.

The fatal collision happened at the Beechway junction on Liverpool Road, Chester, near the Countess of Chester Hospital. Picture: Google.

Driving out of that junction, yards from her home and with her daughter Olivia as a passenger, was Mrs Hickson, who the court heard was completely not at fault for the collision.

The court heard the point of impact assessed Wright as driving between 46-49mph, but his speed prior to the collision would have likely been significantly higher.

Mrs Hickson had been going with her daughter that morning to visit her mother in a care home. When the collision happened, her husband John and son Patrick quickly arrived at the scene.

While Wright was not over the drug-drive limit at the time of the collision, he failed a drug fitness test in custody, having taken cannabis the day before. Judge Everett ruled police could have charged him with driving a vehicle while unfit to do so through drugs.

In addition, Wright had been caught drug-driving with cocaine in his blood on May 29, 2023. He was sentenced to a driving ban at Chester Magistrates Court on November 7, when first appearing for the death by dangerous driving charge.

Moving impact statements were read to the court from Mrs Hickson's family. The first was from John Hickson, who described feeling "numb" at the loss of his "wife, best friend and partner" and what they had planned to do in their retirement years.

He described how Mrs Hickson was involved in the Scouts, the PTA at school the WI, and was an "accomplished fundraiser", helping obtain World Scout Jamboree places in 2019 and 2023.

The loss to the community, where Mrs Hickson had also been in the fitness industry for over 40 years, was "massive", and led to 400 people attending her funeral and £7,500 being raised for an Alzheimer's charity.

He added the loss of their mother was "incalculable" on his children.

In a pre-recorded interview with a police officer, Olivia Hickson wept as she said her "wonderful" mother would not be present for events such as her graduation, and missed her every single day.

She described how she had received cuts and significant bruising following the collision, which had prevented her from taking part in sport at university and had made sleeping a struggle, and did not feel safe driving a car for fear she would have a panic attack.

She added she did not have room for "anger or resentment" in her body, asking instead that Wright "should look at his actions" and "how it affected so many people".

Defending, Maria Masselis said the defendant's best mitigation was his guilty plea, and he had expressed remorse when told Mrs Hickson had passed away, telling police: "I don't care about me, I have ruined their family."

The court heard Wright had a "fragmented" upbringing, none of it his own making, and had two children as well as a younger brother he had been looking after.

Judge Everett told Wright that Mrs Hickson's family, who had behaved "with quiet dignity" in the court hearing, "will never be the same", and their affected lives were "the tip of an extremely large iceberg" as there were "so many people who have been affected".

He said Wright had ignored several warning signs along the way, including an exchange of gestures earlier on the road, the speed cameras, speed limit signs and traffic lights, as he drove "like a maniac".

He accepted the defendant was remorseful at the time, "but it all came too late".

He added: "This was a deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road."

Wright must serve at least two-thirds of his nine-year prison sentence in custody. Upon his release, he will be banned from driving for a further eight years and must pass an extended retest to get his licence back.

After Wright was led down to the cells, the judge addressed Mrs Hickson's family in court: "I don't suppose I can give you comfort; I probably can't give closure, but I will hope you will see I have done my best to see that justice has been done.

"You have my sincerest condolences."