REGIONAL: Company director dodges jail after running over school porter on A27

A COMPANY director who ran over a school porter while speeding on the A27 in his BMW has dodged jail.

Douglas Kennedy was driving 30mph over the limit when he ploughed into Trevor Campbell, on February 9, 2017, killing him.

The 59-year-old business executive had been driving at 70mph along a 40mph stretch of the A27 at the time of the crash.

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Initially Kennedy, of The Beaches, Waterford Gardens, in Climping, Littlehampton, pleaded not guilty to causing death by driving without due care and attention.

But police said he later changed his plea and was convicted on May 16 this year without a jury having been sworn in.

On Friday he appeared before Recorder John Hardy and was ordered to complete 150 hours’ community service, banned from driving for 12 months and told he must pay costs of £1,800 and a victim surcharge of £85.

A police spokesman said Mr Campbell, himself 59 at the time, of Sompting, near Worthing, had been walking to work on the A27 east of Lancing Manor roundabout shortly after 6am when he was struck by Kennedy’s speeding BMW.

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Following sentence, Sergeant Alan Spicer, from the Surrey and Sussex serious collision investigation unit, said: ‘This tragic event, which deprived a family of a husband, father and grandfather, is a timely reminder of why speed limits are in place.

‘They are there for a reason, and the conviction of Mr Kennedy should serve as a wake-up call to anyone who drives that stretch of road concerning the real consequences of speeding.’