Appeal over tragic death of brother

Trish Dearden, from South Shields, was just six years old when her older brother Robert was killed after being hit by a car - but she has carried the emotional trauma of the day since 1970.

Now aged 52, she said her family have never been able to come to terms with what happened to her brother, Robert Ord who was killed as he crossed a road. The passenger in the car that hit him also died.

The driver of the vehicle was found not guilty of dangerous driving following a trial.

Trish has lived in Sheffield for 25 years but as a child grew up in South Shields.

“It just wrecked my entire family,” she said. “My family couldn’t discuss it because my mum and dad were in so much pain.”

Trish says following the death of her parents, she has been trying to find out more details about the death of her brother and what happened in the court case.

But she said the length of time that has elapsed meant it has been difficult to get hold of official documents.

“Part of the pain now is I can’t get hold of any records to tell me what exactly happened,” she said. She is now appealing for people who may have known Robert at the time to come forward and tell her about him. Trish said: “My mum found it too painful to cope with, she had one photograph of him that she kept in a box in her bedroom. I used to sneak a look at it every now and then but I didn’t really know my brother.”

It comes as the Gazette is running the Drive for Justice campaign calling on the Government to give judges greater sentencing powers in death by dangerous driving cases.

Contact Trish can email [email protected].