A Belfast delivery driver has been sentenced to six years after admitting causing the death of a 70-year-old pedestrian while nearly three times the legal drink-drive limit.

John Taggart, 36, from Torrens Link, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and driving with excess alcohol. At Laganside Crown Court on Friday he received three years in custody followed by three on licence, and was disqualified from driving for seven years.

The collision happened at about 5.40pm on 2 September 2024 at the Millfield junction in west Belfast. Paul Marshall was standing on a traffic island when a white Transit van driven by Taggart veered left from the outside lane, mounted the island and struck traffic poles that then fell on the pedestrian.

Tests taken after Taggart was arrested at the scene showed he had 95 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35.

Judge Neil Rafferty KC said the alcohol consumed was a significant aggravating factor. Taggart had been drinking until about 4.30am that morning before getting little sleep ahead of his shift, and was drinking from a bottle found in the van containing 15 percent vodka before the crash. The judge called the manner of driving a "grotesque disregard for the safety of other road users".

Taggart claimed he swerved to avoid another vehicle that moved without indicating, but the judge said CCTV and dashcam footage showed the manoeuvre was unnecessary and highly dangerous. By simply slowing down, the judge said, an accident could have been avoided.

Marshall, who suffered a skull fracture and other catastrophic injuries, died in hospital six days later.

Constable Miller-Devlin of the PSNI's Collision Investigation Unit said the family was devastated and the force's thoughts were with them.

In a personal victim statement, Marshall's sister Deirdre described a profound sense of loss when speaking of her brother's death and said she felt physically ill whenever she passed the spot where he was hit.