Father accused of witness intimidation over Mellor death crash

10:40pm Wednesday 30th April 2008

A MAN has been accused of intimidating a witness who was due to give evidence against his son in a death crash court case.

Simon Fielding was arrested several months after the accident in Mellor Lane, Mellor, on April 21 last year which killed one man and left four others seriously injured.

Ashley Connell, 23, of Knowsley Road, Wilpshire, died when the red Honda Civic Type R car being driven along by Ashley Fielding hit a stone wall before ploughing into a parked car.

He had been making his way home to a 60th birthday party for his mother, Christine, when the crash happened.

Fielding, 21, has now admitted a charge of causing death by dangerous driving and is due to be sentenced on Friday.

His father appeared at Preston Crown Court today, where he denied using verbal threats intending to pervert the course of justice.

The alleged offence involves Christian Gillibrand, who was also in the car and was due to give evidence against the driver at a trial before he decided to plead guilty.

Fielding, 48, of Whalley Banks, Whalley, is alleged to have approached Mr Gillibrand, 21, in last December and used "verbal threats" relating to his role as a witness.

Fielding, 21, also of Whalley Banks, Whalley, suffered a broken shoulder and pelvis in the smash and was arrested after he was released from hospital and charged in August.

Mr Gillibrand, of Ramsgreave Road, Blackburn, suffered severe internal injuries in the crash. Other passengers Sam Litherland, 22, of Longsight Road, Copster Green, sustained neck, back, lung and facial injuries and Julian Hollings, 24, of Ribchester Road, Blackburn, had head injuries. All have now recovered.

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