A MAN accused of causing a fatal crash told police he was responsible for killing a person in an 'accident' and that he was sorry, a jury heard.

Gary Craven, 32, denies death by dangerous driving and three counts of causing serious injury in a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court.

Steven Spear, 64, died after his Mitsubishi pick-up truck was in collision with Craven's silver Mercedes convertible on the A35 Sea Road South in Bridport on the night of November 13, 2017.

In Craven's police statement, read out in court yesterday, Craven said he had drank three pints of Thatchers cider and a Jägerbomb that evening before driving his car.

In the statement he said: "I thought the road was clear. I didn't expect the vehicle to roll out onto the road like that. I shouldn't have been exceeding the speed limit.

"I am deeply sorry for the accident. There's nothing I can do to take that back. Hopefully the information I have given you will be enough to charge me and get this dealt with as quickly and effectively as possible.

"I drove that vehicle, I killed that man, it was an accident. I didn't mean it. I looked up and he was there. It was a clear road I couldn't do anything. I am so sorry for what I have done."

In the statement he also said he was 'deeply sorry and embarrassed' for fleeing the scene.

The jury also heard from PC James Mullins who visited Craven at his home at Brydian Mews, Bridport shortly before 2am, after he fled the scene of the crash.

PC Mullins said he used an enforcer (battering ram) to knock Craven's door down.

He said Craven was 'verbally aggressive' and behaving 'irrationally' and had ‘fresh injuries’.

James Mayo, one of Craven's passengers was 'being sick' on the sofa, the jury heard.

Craven was arrested. At Weymouth Police Station he was found to have 19 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath - the legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Neil Hinton, defending, argued that it was possible Craven was acting 'irrationally' because he was suffering from a head injury and highlighted that PC Mullins had no 'medical qualifications'.

The jury heard from PC Kelvin Edge of Dorset Police and Michael Handy, a former investigator.

Both agreed that Craven was travelling at between 67mph and 73mph at the time of the collision. The road has a speed limit of 40mph.

Meanwhile, Mr Spear was believed to have pulled out of the junction at Hollow Road at between 12 and 14mph.

PC Edge said it was 'unlikely' Mr Spear stopped at the give way mark on the road.

Mr Handy said: "You cannot guarantee the consequences of this tragic accident would not have been the same at 40mph. A collision would still have occurred."

The trial continues.