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Boy road death case jury retires Jury's verdict in boy road death
(about 1 hour later)
The jury has retired to consider its verdict in the case of a driver who denies causing the death by dangerous driving of a three-year-old boy. A jury has cleared a motorist of causing the death of a three-year-old boy by dangerous driving.
Darren Jenkins, 25, has told Cardiff Crown Court he did not see Joshua Venn-Howells and he was not speeding. An alternative charge of driving without due care and attention is still being considered.
Joshua died a day after being struck as he played in the St Mellons area of Cardiff in July last year. Darren Jenkins, 25, told Cardiff Crown Court he had not seen Joshua Venn-Howells and he had not been speeding.
Joshua died in hospital a day after being struck while playing at Willowbrook Drive in the St Mellons area of Cardiff in July last year.
The prosecution claims Mr Jenkins was speeding and did not stop after hitting Joshua, who was "clearly visible".The prosecution claims Mr Jenkins was speeding and did not stop after hitting Joshua, who was "clearly visible".
The defendant has said he was checking his mirrors, after spotting a car ahead which he thought may have been about to pull out him, when he "felt a loud bang" on the right driver's side wheel. The defendant has said he was checking his mirrors, after spotting a car ahead which he thought may have been about to pull out, when he "felt a loud bang" on the right driver's side wheel.
He told the court: "I thought it could have been an animal, it could have been a person." He said he "panicked" and drove on to go home.He told the court: "I thought it could have been an animal, it could have been a person." He said he "panicked" and drove on to go home.
ShoesShoes
His father later persuaded him to go the police within half an hour of the incident, the court heard.His father later persuaded him to go the police within half an hour of the incident, the court heard.
Mr Jenkins said he had felt "gutted" when he later learnt a boy had died.Mr Jenkins said he had felt "gutted" when he later learnt a boy had died.
Joshua died in hospital a day after being struck.
The jury has been told a boy fitting Joshua's description was repeatedly seen running across the road before the incident.The jury has been told a boy fitting Joshua's description was repeatedly seen running across the road before the incident.
One witness has said she was forced to slow down while driving along Willowbrook Drive to avoid the barefoot boy, who was aged two or three. Joshua was not wearing shoes.One witness has said she was forced to slow down while driving along Willowbrook Drive to avoid the barefoot boy, who was aged two or three. Joshua was not wearing shoes.
The prosecution's case is that Joshua was "clearly visible in the road" as he was seen by a woman driving behind the defendant moments before his car struck the youngster.The prosecution's case is that Joshua was "clearly visible in the road" as he was seen by a woman driving behind the defendant moments before his car struck the youngster.
The woman said she saw Joshua standing in the marked or "hatched area" of the road when he was struck by the Peugeot 307, which did not brake or slow down.The woman said she saw Joshua standing in the marked or "hatched area" of the road when he was struck by the Peugeot 307, which did not brake or slow down.
She has told the court she was driving at about 40mph on the 30mph road and that she thought the Peugeot was going faster than her vehicle.She has told the court she was driving at about 40mph on the 30mph road and that she thought the Peugeot was going faster than her vehicle.