A DRIVER who killed two young women after hitting them as they crossed a road is set to face a re-trial after a jury failed to reach a majority verdict.

Accountant Mohmed Salman Patel, 26, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by careless driving in relation the the fatal crash which killed Shelby Maher, 17, and Rachel Murphy, 23, and injured a third woman.

But he had always denied two counts of causing death by dangerous driving in relation to the incident, which happened on the A59 Brockholes Brow in the early evening of April 20, 2016.

A jury at Preston Crown Court deliberated for around six hours but failed to reach a majority verdict.

The court heard how the prosecution intends to seek a re-trial as they believe it would be in the public interest. That will take place on July 30.

It was always the prosecution's case that Patel, of Carham Road, Blackburn, had been texting his girlfriend at the time of the fatal impact.

Prosecuting, Francis McEntee said the defendant’s phone was seized and examined after emergency services arrived following his 999 call from the scene.

Mr McEntee said the police investigation of the phone revealed he sent two text messages to his girlfriend at 6.12pm on April 20 asking her whereabouts.

At 6.37pm she replied “yeah at mate’s” to which he swifly responded: “Her house?”

Within 42 seconds of sending that message Patel had killed the pair, and next used his mobile to ring the emergency services, the court heard.

During his defence, Patel, told the jury how he had set off in his blue BMW 3 Series with his mother and sister as passengers to go on a shopping trip to Preston.

Patel said that he texted his girlfriend before he set off and was in possession of his mobile phone and an e-cigarette machine.

He admitted to texting his girlfriend while stationary at traffic lights on the roundabout approaching Brockholes Brow but denied having it in his hand at the time of the impact.

When asked by defence barrister, Paul Hynes QC, whether he saw any pedestrians in the road before the crash, Patel said: “No.” He also denied being distracted by anything, including his phone, e-cigarette machine or passengers.

The jury was told that Ahmed took no evasive action and made no attempt to slow down in the lead-up to the collision.