A PIZZA delivery driver died after being hit by a car as storm Dennis raged in February 2020.

Blackburn magistrates heard the driver who struck the Monte Cristo takeaway worker Umran Hussain Sodagar, Jack Dobson, left the scene but returned minutes later.

He was initially investigated on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving but eventually only faced a charge of failing to stop after an accident.

Dobson, 27, of Manchester Road, Accrington, pleaded guilty to failing to stop after an accident which resulted in injury to Mr Sodagar. He was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison suspended for two years, his licence endorsed with nine points and ordered to pay £85 costs and £128 victim surcharge.

Passing sentence Deputy District Judge Michael Hopkinson described the case as tragic and said there was nothing he could say to change things.

"I must make it clear my role is to sentence the defendant for failing to stop and not for his driving which is not the subject of this court's determination," said Judge Hopkinson. "The Crown Prosecution Service have decided there are to be no charges in relation to that."

He said the serious aspect to the case was that Dobson drove off.

"It must have been obvious to him that he had hit something," said Judge Hopkinson. "My finding is that he had hit another human being and in that knowledge he drove on and didn't come back immediately."

He said the matter crossed the custody threshold but because of the defendant's guilty plea, his very real remorse and other circumstances he felt he could pull back from an immediate prison sentence.

Janice Vallance, prosecuting, said the incident occurred on Manchester Road, Accrington, at about 5.50pm on Sunday February 2 2020.

She said the victim worked as a delivery driver at the Monte Cristo Italian takeaway. He was crossing the road outside the takeaway when he was hit by the Peugeot 208 driven by Dobson.

Witnesses said the car stopped for about five seconds before driving off. It was later abandoned in Lemonius Street, about a mile away from the scene of the incident.

One of the first on the scene was a nurse who had been travelling in the car behind Dobson. She administered first aid and CPR but Mr Sodagar was later pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

An off-duty policeman was also on the scene within minutes of the incident and he was dealing with matters when Dobson, who he knew, returned. He looked shocked and nervous and said to the officer: "It was me, I have hit him."

Dobson was breathalysed and gave a reading of 21 against the legal limit of 35.

Miss Vallance said all the witnesses described the driving conditions as atrocious as a result of Storm Dennis which was battering the North West at the time.

Miss Vallance said it was the Crown's position that Dobson knew what had happened when he drove off. She said he had returned to the scene after ringing his father who told him to go back.

Peter Cruickshank, defending, said Dobson was due to move into his first house the following day, he was in a long-term relationship and had worked hard to secure himself a good income.

"The tragic consequences of this day have cast a very long shadow over his life," said Mr Cruickshank. "He has lived with the death of Mr Sodagar and it is fair to say it has haunted him."

Mr Cruickshank said there had been three separate investigations carried out by the police and his client had made 12 court appearances.

"It is clear from the pre-sentence report how hard he has taken this and the remorse that he feels," he added.

Following his tragic death, the family of Mr Sodagar, who lived in Accrington, paid tribute to the loving son, husband and father.

In a statement they said: "Umran was a loving son, husband and father, who put smiles on many faces, touched many hearts and will forever remain in those hearts.

"He was a friend to many and was best known for his positive energy and was always bringing people together.

"He was a believer of love and a man of good morals and principles.

"He will truly be missed and his legacy will remain – in his own words – Lancashire's finest. Umran, we love you."