Tri-Service

Hit-And-Run Driver Guilty Of Killing Soldier By Careless Driving

A hit-and-run driver has been found guilty of causing the death of a soldier by careless driving.

Jake Polmeer failed to stop following the accident which killed 20-year-old Ben Regan (pictured above, left, with his father), who served with the Coldstream Guards, on June 20 last year.

Robert Pawson, prosecuting, described how the impact knocked Mr Regan "out of his shoes".

Mr Pawson said after the crash, Polmeer, with his girlfriend Danielle Frost in the passenger seat, did not stop and drove to his home in Bushfield Drive, Redhill:

"Ben Regan was knocked out of his shoes. What did he do after he sent Mr Regan skidding across the Tarmac? He didn't stop, he didn't brake, he didn't even apply the brakes."

Winchester Crown Court heard that Mr Regan had just left Joules wine bar in Bell Street, Reigate, Surrey, and had stepped into the road when he was struck by the speeding Mini Cooper car being driven by 27-year-old Polmeer.

The trial heard that London-based Mr Regan had come home to Reigate to visit his father on Father's Day and had gone out for the evening with friends.

Mr Pawson said experts had estimated the car was being driven at a minimum of 36mph in the 30mph zone at the time of the accident, which happened at about 2am as the bar was emptying, adding:

"He [Polmeer] knew he was at fault and needed to get away.

"Ben Regan had walked several paces in the road to the point where he was standing on the broken white lines in the middle of the road. Not one of the witnesses heard screeching brakes or a horn."

He added: "We do not know what was going on inside the Mini Cooper, but something was going on in Mr Polmeer's mind, such as he wasn't looking, because had he been looking, he would have had time to brake and take proper avoiding action."

Mr Pawson said that the car swerved following the impact and collided with the kerb before driving on.

He added that the car, with a smashed windscreen and dented roof, was found the following day at the defendant's home after a neighbour informed police. Polmeer later handed himself in.

The defendant, who had denied the charge, told police he had drunk one or two pints of Amstel lager and explaining why he drove away, he said: "I hit him, I freaked out, I did something stupid and drove off."