Man faces trial over double death crash at Hartshead Moor which killed couple in 90s

Uzain Isa, 23, made a first appearance before magistrates last week over the charges which date back to a crash on February 4, 2019, at Hartshead Moor.

Eric and Marion Walsh, who were in their 90s, died in the crash which saw their Skodia Octavia in collision with a Kia Rio on Halifax Road, near Cleckheaton.

They were returning from their weekly shopping trip and cafe stop in Scholes when the incident happened near the Stafford Arms pub.

Isa, of Harvest Court, Halifax, appeared before Kirklees Magistrates' Court on Thursday, April 7, to face two charges of causing death by dangerous driving - one relating to the the death of Mr Walsh and the other to the death of Mrs Walsh.

The case was sent for trial to Leeds Crown Court, with the next hearing scheduled for May 5, 2022.

Marion and Eric Walsh, who died in a crash in Halifax Road near Cleckheaton

Isa was placed on unconditional bail by the courts.

Mr and Mrs Walsh, who lived in Bailiff Bridge and were 93 and 90 respectively, were said to have left a cafe in Scholes shortly before the collision, with owner of Cafe CC, Cengiz Catal, saying at the time that he must have been the last ones to see them alive.

He added at the time: “They were a nice couple. We offer our condolences to the family.”

Former Calderdale Mayor Graham Carr-Reason and his wife Rita were neighbours of the couple in Kenilworth Drive, Bailiff Bridge, and said they were shocked to hear of the accident.

The scene of the accident on Halifax Road near Cleckheaton

They said the first they knew of it was when they returned home at about 6pm and saw a police car in the Walshes' drive.

Mr Carr-Reason said: “It is quite devastating. They were devoted to each other."

Mrs Carr-Reason said: “We were very shocked. It was devastating. We always got on, they were good neighbours."

At the time police confirmed that the driver of the Kia suffered injuries described as serious, but they were not thought to be life threatening.

They also put out an appeal for anyone who witnessed the collision or anyone who saw either vehicles driving in the area to contact police.

The Major Collision Enquiry Team also said they would like to hear from anyone who had any dashcam footage of the incident or of the moments prior to the collision.

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