THE daughter of a man who died in a hit-and-run gave a powerful victim personal statement as William Stallard was jailed for killing him.

Michael Waistell was cycling to work in Hartlepool when the drink-driver smashed into him, killing him instantly.

His daughter, Laura, read out a heart-breaking statement at Teesside Crown Court when she spoke of the devastating impact her father’s death had on the family.

 

She said: “What hurts us is the most is the fact he was just left alone to die. As a family, one of the first things we asked the police was, is the driver ok? What if this was an accident?

“We were making excuses for the driver, as we thought that it was an innocent mistake. When the police told us what the driver did, we couldn’t quite comprehend that someone could do that to another human being.”

She told the court how her father had looked after her mother in later years as she battled illness, saying: "My mum sits at night and asks how are we going to live without him. And I don't really have the answers to give her much comfort."

Miss Waistell said her father was looking forward to being a grandfather for the first time as her brother was due to become a father later this year.

She added: "You have left us without a dad, husband, son and you are sat in your warm cell being fed and allowed phone calls with your loved ones.

"We can no longer speak or even hold our dad any more. We can't tell him how much we care or love him and how proud he made us. I hope to God that your children will never have to go through what we have experienced. This will stay with us for the rest of our lives."