Drug dealer on e-bike who killed great-grandfather is jailed

A drug dealer who killed an 86-year-old man when he crashed into him on an e-bike has been jailed.

Dylan Green, 20, collided with great-grandfather Bart O'Hare, who was on his way to a chip shop in Burnley, Lancashire.

Green's girlfriend was a pillion passenger on the bike - and he had been pulling a wheelie in the moments before the crash.

Mr O'Hare, who had two granddaughters and five great-grandchildren, later died in hospital having sustained head and chest injuries, including a fractured skull.

His daughter told Green, who was sentenced to eight years and three months' detention, that his actions had "broken my family".

Footage played in Preston Crown Court showed Green, of Burnley, who was on bail for drugs offences at the time, pulling the wheelie in Accrington Road shortly after 4.15pm on 22 March last year.

The wheelie lasted for 37 metres, the court heard.

Philip Astbury, prosecuting, told the court Mr O'Hare was thrown into the air following the collision, which happened when he was less than three metres into the road.

'Not once did you show any concern'

Tyre marks showed Green's bike had returned to two wheels shortly before the crash but Mr Astbury said the wheelie had "entirely compromised Dylan Green's view of the road ahead of him".

He said the e-bike had "never been recovered" - but analysis of CCTV found it was travelling 41% faster than all other vehicles in the area at the time.

Mr O'Hare's daughter Marika Mausolf addressed Green from the witness box in court and said: "Not once did you show any thought or concern for him after taking your girlfriend out on an illegal bike and pulling wheelies on the road with no consideration for my dad.

"Your selfish attitude was to try and diminish your actions by leaving my dad to suffer so you could get rid of the bike.

"You've broken my family in so many ways that I cannot begin to explain."

Kristian Cavanagh, defending, said Green had demonstrated remorse "in his own way" and night terrors and panic attacks which he suffered were a reflection of how he felt.

Recorder of Preston Judge Robert Altham told Green: "Whilst you are undoubtedly sorry to be caught, I do not detect any real remorse."

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Green pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by driving while uninsured.

He also pleaded guilty to one count of supplying MDMA between July and October 2023, for which he was given a concurrent sentence of 12 months in a young offender institute.

He was disqualified from driving for 12 years and four months.

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