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Former Cray Valley Football Club chairman got behind wheel more than twice legal limit and killed dad-of-two in Eynsford

A football club chairman was more than twice the drink-drive limit - when his vehicle ploughed into a man walking his dog in Eynsford.

The impact from the Range Rover knocked "kind and generous" dad-of-two Andy Miller, 62, into a nearby garden and killed him.

Maurice McAnallen. Picture: Kent Police
Maurice McAnallen. Picture: Kent Police

Retired businessman Maurice McAnallen, 63, later resigned from his post at Cray Valley Football Club after his arrest for causing Mr Miller's death by driving dangerously.

Now he has been jailed for four years and two months and banned from driving for more than six years after admitting the charge, as well as drink-driving.

McAnallen, of Stead Close Chislehurst sobbed in the dock at Maidstone Crown Court as his victim's wife and sons revealed the devastating impact on their lives.

Prosecutor Ed Fowler told how on Saturday, January 25, McAnallen's Range Rover was seen on the A225 in High Street, Eynsford.

A car driver saw the Range Rover at the Swanley roundabout "cutting up" another vehicle and driving more slowly than other traffic.

Maurice McAnallen had been drinking at Cray Valley Football Club before the crash
Maurice McAnallen had been drinking at Cray Valley Football Club before the crash

The motorist thought its driver "might be drunk" and as it entered Eynsford village and another driver saw it "suddenly veer off the road and up a grass bank" while travelling at 30mph.

Mr Fowler said McAnallen's vehicle then swerved onto the opposite carriageway and later mounted the pavement.

Motorist Gary Link "watched in horror as it continued with two wheels on the pavement" before colliding with a parked Vauxhall Zafira and pushing it into a Ford parked in front before coming to a halt in the middle of the road.

The prosecutor said two eye witnesses then made their way to the scene on foot and Mr Link noticed a dog "loose on a lead."

"He was immediately concerned as there was no sign of its owner. He gathered the dog and then went over to the Range Rover and opened the door and saw Mr McAnallen and he could smell drink.

The collision happened in front of The Anthony Roper Primary School, in Eynsford. Picture: Google Maps
The collision happened in front of The Anthony Roper Primary School, in Eynsford. Picture: Google Maps

"He told him: 'You're ****** get out' and Mr McAnallen appeared dazed. Mr Link then tried to find the owner of the dog and he was the person who saw someone lying in the garden.

"He went over and saw that the man's eyes were open but he was lifeless and there was no pulse. Paramedics confirmed death at 7.30pm."

McAnallen was asking if he had run someone over before telephoning his son, telling them: "It's bad. I think I've killed someone. It's really terrible."

Tests later revealed McAnallen was more than twice the drink-drive limit after downing several pints at the Cray Valley Football Club.

He told officers he had recently split from his wife after 44 years of marriage and had been staying in Eynsford for three months.

McAnallen was more than twice over the drink-drive limit. Picture: istock
McAnallen was more than twice over the drink-drive limit. Picture: istock

Mr Miller's son, Sam read out a victim impact statement on behalf of his brother Joe, who wrote: "The events of that night could so easily be avoided if not for one man's selfish and stupid actions.

"I feel angry, sad, cheated, confused and sometimes numb.

"I cannot begin to comprehend how this has affected my mum. He was the one and only love of her life, seeing the pain it has caused her is horrifying and makes me feel useless."

Sam, who worked with his father, said in his own statement: "If the definition of a good dad had a picture next to it, it would be a picture of my old man."

He recalled on the day of his death, his mother had rang to ask if he had seen him as he hadn't returned from walking the dog.

McAnallen was jailed at Maidstone Crown Court. Stock picture
McAnallen was jailed at Maidstone Crown Court. Stock picture

"I knew that wasn't right so I said I would jump in the car and go and look. I pulled up at the main road and saw blue lights and thought the old man had seen something and was talking to the coppers, helping out with something.

"I started walking and I saw our dog, Stanley, first and then I saw the dog lead and realised it wasn't my dad holding it. I said: "That's my dog, where's my dad?"

"Everything went blurred. I got frantic. I said: 'Where's my dad?"

He told how he then spoke to a police officer and gave him a description of his missing father only to hear the heartbreaking news that he had been killed.

He had to tell his mother, Kim who replied: "This wasn't supposed to happen."

Judge Philip St John-Stevens jailed McAnallen for more than four years. Picture: Matthew Walker
Judge Philip St John-Stevens jailed McAnallen for more than four years. Picture: Matthew Walker

Mrs Miller told how the couple had met at school and had been together for 47 years - 41 of them happily married.

"Andy was an amazing, loving and caring man, always a family man. He was loved and respected by so many people. He was a straight-talking man, you got what you saw with Andy."

She revealed the couple had made plans to relocate their home and business to Devon.

"It's a dream we have had for a few years and it breaks my heart that after a lifetime of working hard he never got to live his dream."

Oliver Blunt QC, defending, said: "Anyone listening to the three Victim Impact Statements being read out couldn't fail to be moved by the heart-wrenching comments."

Jailing him, Judge Philip St John Stevens told McAnallen that he chose to drink and chose to drive which had led to "these tragic circumstances."

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.

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