A man of 87 who killed a woman by hitting his car accelerator instead of the brake has died days after being jailed.
Frail William Heagren is believed to have had a heart attack at Wormwood Scrubs. He died on December 14.
for causing death by dangerous driving.
His Ford Fusion hit Jeanette Newman, 64, and Sarah Taylor, 53, in a Sainsbury’s car park in South Ruislip, West London, in May 2018.
Mrs Newman died in hospital and her friend suffered serious injuries.
Heagren appeared at Harrow Crown Court using a walking frame but Judge Lana Wood refused his plea for bail pending an appeal.
His barrister Michael Wood called Heagren a “thoroughly decent man” who – according to a GP – faced “a life-threatening illness” if jailed.
On December 5, Mr Wood contested the judge’s decision saying it was an “exceptional case.”
He said: “This man is 87 and the court has before it medical evidence strongly suggesting in the words of a GP that incarceration in a new environment could result in hospital admission for a life threatening illness. That makes this an exceptional case.”
He added: “This is arguably manifestly excessive.”
But the judge said: ”Although the conditions he faces are serious, the GP letter doesn’t amount in itself to exceptional reasons. I’m afraid I’m not so persuaded."
She added: “This was a case that has caused me anxiety I have spent a considerable amount of time considering the sentence.
"It is not a sentence that I give lightly or that I would voluntarily wish to impose. However, in my judgement it is the shortest sentence I can impose.”
