A MAN has admitted dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice following the death of a pedestrian in Lawford.

Emergency services were called to Harwich Road after John Benjamin Hughes, 44, of Colchester, was struck by a car in the early hours in December 2018.

Jack Robinson, 24, of Lydgate Close, Lawford, admitted charges of dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice when he appeared at St Albans Crown Court yesterday.

He also admitted charges of failing to stop and failing to report an accident and of driving without insurance.

The court heard Robinson had been driving dangerously in that his windscreen was in a condition that obstructed the driver’s vision.

It also heard he carried out a series of acts that had a tendency to pervert course of justice, in that he concealed a vehicle involved in a fatal road traffic collision with the intention of frustrating a police investigation.

He evaded police who were searching for him with the intention of frustrating an alcohol breath test, the court heard.

Robinson admitted all five charges.

Recorder Andrew Johnson imposed an interim driving ban while reports are prepared by the probation service prior to his sentence.

He told Robinson: “These offences are serious both in nature and particularly in the context in which they occurred.

“I’m sure you’ll be well aware that for offences of perverting the course of justice, custodial sentences served almost immediately are almost inevitable.

“In ordering a pre-sentence report to be prepared by the probation service and extending your bail, you mustn’t take any indication at all that the sentence will be anything other than what I have indicted is almost an inevitability.

“It’s entirely appropriate that I impose an interim disqualification from driving.”

Following the incident, which happened after 2.20am on December 8, 2018, police cordoned off a section of the A137 between Garden City and Tile Barn Lane as they launched a forensic investigation into the smash and the events which led up to it.

A silver Ford Mondeo was later found in Station Road, Manningtree.

Robinson is due to be sentenced at the court in April 22.