A DRIVER who admitted causing the death of a couple crossing the road took to the stand yesterday and denied he jumped a red light.

Ashley Deadman, 28, told a court he “has nightmares” since the crash which killed Carli Scott, 30, and Dean Evans, 25, in Nethermayne, Basildon on March 22 last year.

Yesterday, he appeared before Judge David Pugh where he faces two counts of causing death by dangerous driving at Basildon Crown Court.

On day three of his trial, defending barrister Ian Henderson asked him what happened when he turned onto Nethermayne that night.

Deadman, who admits being a regular user of cannabis, said: “The lights were green as I approached and as I got closer they started to change onto amber and that’s when I went through.

“I didn’t change speed because I was too close to be able to stop.”

The father-of-two told the court that prosecution witnesses who had previously testified he went through on red must have been wrong, but accepted evidence that suggested he was doing between 40 and 45mph in a 30mph zone.

When asked how he feels about the incident, he said: “Terrible. It’s destroyed people’s lives including my own.

“I have nightmares. I think about it every minute of every day. I can’t function properly.

“It will haunt me until the day I die.”

During cross-examination, prosecutor Chris Paxton asked whether he felt driving through an amber light at speed was dangerous.

The pipe-fitter said: “It didn’t feel dangerous in the conditions.

“I didn’t see anyone on the crossing. I don’t understand why.

“I would not have been able to stop in time.”

Mr Paxton then asked him whether he considered that driving 15mph over the speed limit was dangerous to which Deadman replied: “I don’t know.”

The trial continues