GMP News And Appeals
  View Archive

Motorist jailed for road death in Salford

Posted by Tony Flynn on 6th January 2012 at 04:36 PM
Motorist jailed for road death in Salford
A 34-year-old man who ran over a pedestrian before failing to provide a breath test has today, Friday, 6 January 2012, been sentenced.

Panagiotis Kotsakis, born 18/6/86, of Stephen Oakes Close, Crumpsall, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to causing death by driving without due care and attention and for failing to provide a sample of breath.

He was today sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court to four years, three months imprisonment. He was also disqualified from driving for three years.

The victim, Dwayne Ashley Thorley, 24, formerly of Wythenshawe, was walking home with a friend when the incident happened at about 3.10am on Sunday 24 October 2010.

Dwayne and his friend were crossing the A34 Trinity Way duel carriageway, in Salford, near the junction with Hampson Street, when he was struck by a blue Mercedes E250.

He suffered multiple injuries in the collision and was taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary where he subsequently died.

Witnesses described seeing the Mercedes, driven by Kotsakis, speeding along Trinity Way at speeds of up to 60 or 70mph before it hit Dwayne, knocking him 15ft into the air. One witness stated the car came down the road, 'like a missile'.

Kotsakis drove a further 175m down the road before stopping the car and getting out. He walked up to the scene and asked Dwayne⿿s friend if he was going to be alright. His friend told him he saw he had been speeding.

Kotsakis was later arrested by officers who attended the scene.

PC Steve Brierley, of the Road Policing Unit, said: "Kotsakis was clearly driving far too fast for the road.

"He drove into Dwayne and belatedly slammed on the brakes after realising what he had done. Dwayne's life was tragically cut short by the actions of a man who was clearly careless and should never have been behind the wheel that night.

"I hope today's sentence provides some comfort to Dwayne's family."

Source: GMP.


Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by jiffy ( member )  11th January 2012
instead of keep giving big sentances out to ppl who rob money or do fraud which can be repaid give it to ppl like this 4 years is an insult .......imagine if a judges son got killed?bet they wudnt get 4 years then wud they ?

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Ex Seadog ( member )  7th January 2012
According to the M.E.N. this drunk was twice the legal limit when he killed the pedestrian. Then repeatedly lied to the Police to try to avoid being breathalised. He then refused to give a blood sample, and refused to give a urine sample. I don't think 'careless' quite describes this man's actions. I agree with the victims Mother. The sentence is too lenient.

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Ex Seadog ( member )  6th January 2012
Justice???... No way!!! He'll be out again in two years. What sort of message does this send out? No wonder the Police aren't taken seriously, the Law-courts just don't back them up.

Due to problems with spam only SalfordOnline members can now leave comments. Becoming a member of SalfordOnline only takes a minute, just hit the red Join Us button at the top right hand side of the page to create your Personal account.



Got a news story? Need help with publicity for an event in Salford? Send it to newsdesk@salfordonline.com or call the SalfordOnline newsdesk on 0161 789 5377.