An elderly motorist died after another driver who mistakenly believed he was going to turn left pulled out in front of him causing a crash, a court heard.

85-year-old Frederick Hazlegreaves suffered 11 fractured ribs and a broken sternum in the impact and died 11 days later from complications.

The other motorist, teacher David Morton, is on trial at Liverpool Crown Court where he denies causing death by careless driving.

Gerald Baxter, prosecuting, told the jury that about 5.30 pm on Wednesday, April 27, last year Mr Hazlegreaves was driving his Kia Picanto along Barnston Road, Heswall.

Morton, now 32, was driving his black Vauxhall Astra along Milner Road and he stopped at the junction with Barnston Road intending to turn right after collecting his teacher partner from school.

Mr Baxter said the jury would have to decide if Morton, of Arden Drive, Neston, drove carelessly by pulling out in front of Mr Hazlegreaves.

He said a prosecution witness and mechanical engineer confirmed Morton’s account that the Kia’s left indicator had been flashing.

“At the same time, it was clear to the witness who saw the collision that Mr Hazelgreaves was not slowing down and the prosecution say that the defendant should not have pulled out until he had made sure it was safe to do do so,” claimed Mr Baxter.

The victim made a statement to police from hospital a few hours after the crash and said he had been travelling at 30mph, was not slowing down and had no intention of turning left into Milner Road.

“He said the other car pulled out directly into his path and there was no opportunity to stop. He made no reference to whether his indicator was on,” said Mr Baxter.

Lynne Tasker was driving in the opposite direction intending to turn right into Milner Road and saw the blue Kia approaching with its left indicator flashing.

“But she could also see that the speed of the car was constant and that it did not slow down for the junction. She saw the defendant’s car pull out and she saw the collision,” she said.

Morton told the court he waited at the junction after the two cars in front had moved off and he repeatedly checked right and left.

He saw Mrs Tasker’s car stopped some way back apparently to let him out and he saw the Kia approaching in the opposite direction.

“It appeared to be fairly central on the carriageway but was gradually veering to the left. It was doing about 25-to-30mph. I believed at the speed it was doing and the positioning to the left side and the indicator on that it was turning left.”

Morton said that he began gradually easing his automatic car out and when the bonnet and his door were out onto the main road the collision happened.

Questioned by his barrister Tom Watson, he said there was “no chance” that he would have pulled out if he had not thought the Kia was turning left: “I would not do anything to put my partner at risk.”

Morton, who was taken to hospital with minor injuries after the crash, said he has no convictions of any sort and was sorry for what had happened to Mr Hazelgreaves.

Mr Baxter suggested to him: “You made a mistake.”

“In hindsight I did but then I believed it was safe,” he replied.

The case continues.