Businessman breaks down in tears

FELIXSTOWE businessman Peter Whalley broke down in tears today as he told a court of the nightmares he had suffered since his car ploughed into a teenage girl pinning her against a wall.

Whalley, 35, who was more than twice the drink drive limit at the time of the accident, said that every time he closed his eyes to go to sleep he could picture what had happened when he hit 16-year-old Vicky Kelcher last December.

Whalley, who runs Bonds Wine Bar and The Old Millars Restaurant in Felixstowe, said that on the day of the accident he had spent the day at work and had drunk four pints of cider and a pint of lager with a lemonade top over the course of the day. He had not eaten any food.

During the evening he was told by his wife that Millars had run out of change and he had got into his X-registration Mercedes to drive home to get some.

It was while he was driving along Garrison Lane, Felixstowe, that his car veered to the left and had mounted the curb and struck Miss Kelcher, of Chaucer Road, Felixstowe, and her boyfriend Ty Freer as they walked home after a night out.

Mr Freer was thrown clear but Miss Kelcher was pinned between the car and a wall and suffered serious injuries to her pelvis and both legs.

Giving evidence today Whalley, who has denied dangerous driving, said that although in hindsight he shouldn't have driven that night, at the time he had thought he was fit to drive.

As he was driving along Garrison Lane he claimed he saw something flash across the road in front of him causing him to veer to the left.

He said that immediately after the accident he had tried to pull his car away from the wall to release Miss Kelcher. He could hear Miss Kelcher crying and screaming and although he tried to pull the car away, it wouldn't move.

"Every time I close my eyes I can see it. It's just there in front of me," he said.

He said that after the accident he found it hard to face people.

"I couldn't look at people in the eye. I felt guilty for the pain I'd caused somebody."

He accepted that the pain he had been through was nothing compared to the pain Miss Kelcher, her family and friends had been through.

He said that after the accident he had been unable to work for months and had been left with no self- confidence. However, he was now getting back to work although he had surrendered the licenses for both his premises since the accident.

He said he has seen a number of doctors but none of them could take away the nightmares.

Cross examined by prosecution counsel Peter Fenn, Whalley, of Princes Gardens, Felixstowe, said he was certain of the amount he had to drink that day and had not drunk more.

Defence counsel Lindsay Cox, prosecuting, read five references to the court from people who knew Whalley and who described him as 'caring, hardworking, reliable and trustworthy'.

The trial continues.