A MOTORIST who knocked down and killed an East Lancashire grandfather and his dog while they were crossing a busy road has been jailed.

CCTV footage captured the moment Carl Priestley’s Vauxhall Vectra struck 57-year-old John Russell outside Burnley FC’s Turf Moor ground in February 2018.

His car delivered a glancing blow to Mr Russell as he was travelling at up to twice the 30mph speed limit, Preston Crown Court was told.

Footage shows Mr Russell, who was crossing Harry Potts Way close to the former Park View pub, being thrown into the air.

Mr Russell was pronounced dead later at the Royal Blackburn Hospital and his dog, a Jack Russell called CJ, was also killed as a result of the collision.

Priestley, 38, formerly of Burnley but now of Granville Road, Heysham, pleaded guilty to death by dangerous driving at an earlier hearing.

He was also disqualified from driving for five years and four months.

Jailing Priestley for three years and nine months, Judge Philip Parry said: “All of the witnesses describe you as simply driving too fast and it was plain that you were.”

The judge noted that Priestley was still thought to have been accelerating immediately before the impact.

Prosecutor Emma Kehoe said a statement had been drafted by the deceased’s widow about the impact on herself and the family since the tragedy.

Zena Russell told police: “We are such a close-knit family and we are devastated by our loss.”

Mrs Russell said she had been off work for some considerable time as she struggled to come to terms with her husband of 34 years death.

Mrs Kehoe told the court the defendant’s 13-year-old stepdaughter and her friend were both in the car at the time and were clearly left shocked at what happened.

Priestley informed police, at the scene, that he had not seen Mr Russell, the court heard, and the first he knew of what had happened was when he saw a dog flying through the air.

The court heard that Priestley was jailed for a short time, in 2001, for disqualified driving.

Philip Holden, defending, said: “Mr Priestley, through me, offers his sincere apologies for his behaviour on this night.”

He told the court his client, a former lorry driver who now acted as a carer for his sick wife, had not driven since the night of the collision.

PC Michael Higginson said: “Carl Priestley was travelling too fast – double the speed limit – in the moments before the collision.

"While he braked, the car failed to stop in time, fatally injuring Mr Russell and his dog, CJ.

"His actions were reckless and irresponsible.

“My thoughts remain with Mr Russell and his loved ones.

"I hope today's sentencing helps to bring them some closure.”