Blackburn volunteer killed ‘kindest man you could ever meet’ showing off in his friend’s souped-up Corsa

A successful illustrator who dreamed of early retirement was killed by a speeding motorist in a modified Vauxhall Corsa, who had borrowed the car from a friend to show off.

Sion Chaisty, 46, was thrown high into the air when he was hit by the car at around 58mph. The driver, Kristian Rawcliffe, 26, has been jailed for 12 months for causing Mr Chaisty’s death by careless driving. Mr Chaisty’s family have been left heartbroken by the loss of “the nicest man you could ever meet”.

Preston Crown Court heard that on June 26, 2021, Rawcliffe, a St John’s Ambulance volunteer, attended a family fun day at the Craven Heiffer, Darwen. The weather was bright and sunny and the pub had set up an outdoor seating area for customers to watch the UEFA Champions League match during Covid restrictions.

READ MORE: Preston boxer Scott Fitzgerald jailed after using trained fist as a weapon when he broke a man’s jaw outside city pub

As Rawcliffe and his friend pulled into the car park, they attracted the attention of revellers due to the car’s suped up exhaust, which gave a roaring sound. Rawcliffe was in the passenger seat but after having a drink at the bar he asked to borrow the key.

Judge Robert Altham, the Honorary Recorder of Preston, said: “I am quite satisfied you took the car not only to drive it but to show off.”

Rawcliffe turned out of the car park and “accelerated aggressively” up the hill along Pole Lane. Witnesses described the wheels spinning on the tarmac as he hit 48mph within 200m of leaving the gate. He negotiated traffic calming measures and parked cars before turning round and driving back down the hill, past roadworks, at 58mph – almost twice the legal limit.

As the car sped back towards the pub, Mr Chaisty ran from his garden into the road.

“To this day, no-one knows why he did this”, Judge Altham said. The pedestrian was struck by the speeding car and thrown high in the air before landing on the pavement. He suffered severe injuries and died the next day.

“Had the vehicle been travelling at an appropriate speed, he would have seen Mr Chaisty and been able to stop in time”, the judge said. Rawcliffe stopped at the scene but was sent away by members of the public when they realised he was the driver.

The court heard Rawcliffe had also volunteered on the front line in a Nightingale Hospital in London during the pandemic, helped to set up a vaccine centre in Blackburn and was an active member of the Round Table. Judge Altham said: “This makes it all the more regrettable that a man capable of such good could choose to drive in a manner that poses such risk of death – and then causes the death of a much loved, kind and good man.”

In a series of victim impact statements, Mr Chaisty’s family and colleagues described him as a highly regarded illustrator who worked for clients including Lotus, Bentley, Ford and MacLaren.

“He was one of life’s true pacifists who never had a bad word to say about anyone”, said one colleague. His sister Nicole spoke of her heartache that her ‘considerate, kind and thoughtful’ brother’s life has been taken away. She now tends to his grave daily, she said.

Mr Chaisy’s father said Sion was not just a son but a best friend to him. He was not a materialistic man and did not splurge on everyday items as he was saving to retire at 50 and travel.

“He will never get to see the world”, Mr Chaisty snr said. “My oldest son arrived in this world to great excitement. He left in great sadness.”

Rawcliffe, of Amberwood Drive, Blackburn, pleaded guilty of causing death by careless driving but cleared of a more serious charge of causing death by dangerous driving. The court heard he was not over the drink drive limit, but was not insured to drive the car at the time of the collision.

“This was on the very cusp of being dangerous driving”, Judge Altham said. “The predominant and overwhelming cause was the speed of the car this defendant was driving.”

The court heard prior to the collision, Rawcliffe had a clean driving licence which he used to volunteer as a first responder. He has now been banned for two and a half years and must take an extended retest before he can drive again.

Read the latest from the courts

READ NEXT: