22/5/08 (UK):
Flawed Expert Evidence Leads to Acquittal
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The husband of lollipop lady Stephanie Davies says he has been let down by the legal system after the man driving the bus which killed his wife walked free from court when his trial was halted because of flawed expert evidence.
The mother-of-two who was aged 35 at the time, died after she was knocked down outside Seedley Primary School, in Liverpool Street, on Monday, September 11, 2006, where she was on lollipop patrol.
Her husband Martin Davies was on his way to the school to collect their five-year-old daughter Anna and heard the sound of the crash.
The 43-year-old, who is still haunted by what he heard that day, said he was stunned when the judge stopped the trial of bus driver Stephen Wilson and directed the jury to return a not guilty verdict.
Martin, of Wychbury Street, Seedley, said: "I just couldn't believe what was happening. One minute an expert medical witness was giving evidence to the prosecution, then the judge halted the trial and ordered the public and jury out of the court.
"The next thing I know, the barrister for the prosecution is telling me the trial was ending because the expert witness had changed his evidence and the driver was going to be found not guilty.
"Where does that leave me and my family? My wife was killed - nobody disputes that - she didn't put herself under the bus.
"It just doesn't make sense. The whole trial was an ordeal but I was prepared to sit through it because I thought we were going to get some answers to what happened that day.
"All we got are more questions - we are worse off than we were before.
"There isn't a day goes by when I don't hear the sound of that crash.
"I can be hanging out the washing and feeling quite normal, then suddenly I hear that horrible noise and I'm right back there.
"I missed seeing the crash by seconds because I stopped at the shop to get Anna some sweets. I keep thinking 'What if I hadn't done that - would I have been able to see the bus coming towards Steph and pull her out of the way?''
Martin gave up his job as a warehouseman for clothing firm Peacocks to look after Anna, now eight, and her older brother Adam, 18.
He is receiving post-traumatic stress counselling, which he says helps, but it cannot take away the constant pain of his loss, and that of the whole family.
He said: "This has devastated all of us. The children are resilient but they will always be aware of what they have lost and so will all of us.
"It's a cliche but you really do have to take it a day at a time. I think we had all hoped the trial would give us some answers, some peace of mind.
"Now that avenue is closed, we are going to have to pin our hopes on the inquest. We should know in about two weeks' time when that will be."
Even though time may heal some of the wounds, Martin wants to keep the memory of Stephanie alive for her children.
He said: "I have to live with the knowledge that both Adam and Anna will grow up without their mother and that hurts me deeply.
"But, ultimately, I want them to remember her for what she was and not for the victim she became.
"Stephanie was a wonderful wife and mother. She was bubbly and loved her family and had been working towards qualifications in childcare.
"She had worked as a care assistant at Henshaw's centre, on Eccles Old Road, but wanted to work in a children's nursery, and she would have been brilliant at it too.
"Steph was doing so well and looking forward to the future and I was very proud of her - I still am."
With thanks, © Salford Advertiser, 2008
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