Driver caught doing 72mph on 30mph Wigan road where mum was killed two days earlier

Officers from Greater Manchester Police’s Wigan West team carried out a pre-planned operation to target speeding drivers on Ormskirk Road in Pemberton on Sunday.

It came just two days after the death of teacher and mum-of-three Laura Hazeldine, who was hit by a car outside Fifteens, on Ormskirk Road, on Friday night. Two men were also badly injured in the incident.

On Facebook, Sgt Hall said: “J Relief neighbourhood team, supported by the special constabulary, conducted a pre-planned traffic speeding enforcement operation on Ormskirk Road, Pemberton.

“A number of drivers were ‘advised’ regarding excessive speed and a number also received fixed penalty notices, the worst being a young lad who thought it was okay to drive at 72mph in a 30!!

“Even more alarming were the two drivers who thought it was acceptable to drive a motor vehicle on a road at excessive speed, without even having passed the driving test and subsequently having no motor insurance……… those cars were taken away and seized!”

Nineteen-year-old Jacob Gaskell, of Marlborough Avenue, Ince, was charged with causing Ms Hazeldine’s death by dangerous driving, as well as

driving while disqualified, driving while unlicensed/uninsured, serious injury by dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and failing to stop.

He appeared at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court on Monday and was remanded in custody until a hearing at Bolton Crown Court on Monday, May 16.