Man who admitted causing death of Co-op worker in crash avoids jail

Paula Heaney, 57, was on her way to work at the supermarket chain’s Thatto Heath shop when she was involved in the crash on January 28, 2021.

She died at the scene between junction five and six on the M62 at Tarbock Island.

Peter Maddrell, of Warbrook Road, Roby, denied the more serious charge of causing her death by dangerous driving and had been due to stand trial.

However, in May, the less serious charge was put to him at Liverpool Crown Court and he pleaded guilty, and he appeared back in court to be sentenced today, Friday.

Damian Nolan, prosecuting, told the court in the hearing last month that Maddrell, 57, had admitted the offence when he last appeared in July last year but it was not acceptable to the prosecution.

He said the Crown was now prepared to accept the guilty plea and explained: “The particular circumstances of the crash in terms of what unfolded was unique to the officers investigating.”

Mr Nolan said that Maddrell had been in the outside lane heading towards Manchester and the rain was described as 'torrential'.

After examining his car and airbags, it was initially thought that he had been travelling at 90mph, but it was now thought to have been 80mph.

He explained that the defendant went across all three lanes and hit the undergrowth on the far side of the hard shoulder.

Liverpool Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

“Ordinarily one might have expected the car to come to a rest but unexpectedly it ricocheted back into the carriageway," Mr Nolan said.

"Unfortunately the initial collision had disabled its headlights. It was 6am and this stretch was just beyond where it was lit by street lighting.

“Having ricocheted back, the car was now facing the traffic coming towards him. He was facing westbound on the eastbound carriageway.

“Regrettably and unavoidably, Paula Heaney was in her car, and because his headlights had been disabled she, would have had but a minimal amount of time to see his car, which had come to rest in the middle lane, and there was a collision which very sadly resulted in her death.”

Mr Nolan said that speed remained an issue in the case, but that a contributory factor was a defect in the camber of the roadway, leading to inadequate drainage meaning there was excessive pooling of water.

“It would be a contributory factor as to why his car aquaplaned,” he said, adding that in the darkness Maddrell would not have had time to see the excessive pooling in the outside lane.

He said that although it is believed Maddrell was doing 80mph, he was maintaining a speedy path and the circumstances of the crash are believed by the police to be unique.

Maddrell, an admin worker for Royal Mail in Warrington, was sentenced to six months in prison suspended for 15 months.

He was also disqualified from driving for a period of 15 months.

After the tragedy, tributes to the Ms Heaney poured in. She had worked at Co-op’s Elephant Lane shop for two decades and was on her way to work from her home in Anfield when she died.

Floral tributes left outside the Thatto Heath Co-op to Paula (Image: St Helens Star)

Customers described her as 'one of a kind' and being 'great to chat to' after more than 20 years in the shop.

A large number of flowers, balloons, candles and heartfelt messages were left outside the Co-op in Elephant Lane by colleagues and members of the community following her death.

Customers said Paula had worked there for four decades and was a deeply loved figure in the community and made the shop 'full of life'.

Other customers left messages remembering Ms Heaney on Facebook.