A TAXI driver allegedly killed a Ryedale student by driving over him as he lay in the road, York Crown Court heard.

A jury has seen the moment the Ford Mondeo driven by Frank Norman hit Robert Stephenson, 21, in Micklegate, York, on March 26, 2016.

Simon Waley, prosecuting, said Mr Stephenson, who was from Pickering and in his final year at university, suffered multiple injuries and was declared dead at York Hospital shortly afterwards.

Norman claimed to police that he thought the student was a bin bag and that he had driven over many bin bags without problem.

Mr Waley alleged that a second taxi driver driving in the opposite direction before Norman saw Mr Stephenson lying in the road and, realising that he was a person, not an object, slowed down and stopped before driving off without hitting him.

Norman, 71, of Brunel Court, York, denies causing Mr Stephenson’s death by careless driving.

The prosecution alleges that he either wasn’t keeping a good lookout, or didn’t check that it was safe to drive over what was in the road, and that he had time to drive round it. “We say that his driving was therefore careless and he therefore caused the death of Mr Stephenson,” said Mr Waley.

Mr Waley said Mr Stephenson had been in York city centre after attending a rugby tournament and by the early hours “he had clearly had a great deal to drink”.

Before showing the jury the CCTV footage of Micklegate near its junction with Priory Street, he alleged it showed that Mr Stephenson was unsteady on his feet.

“He can be seen to lie down, tragically for him, lie down on the roadway. It would appear he may have gone to sleep,” said Mr  Waley. 

Mr Stephenson was on the side of the road taken by traffic travelling from Ouse Bridge to Micklegate Bar, said Mr Waley. 

The other taxi driver drove along the other side of the road from Micklegate Bar towards Ouse Bridge shortly before Norman. 

Norman was taking four teachers from the city centre towards  Micklegate Bar, travelling at about 20mph.

“Robert was stationary and his body remained on the road directly in the path of this Mondeo,” said  Mr Waley. “The defendant didn’t slow  down.”

Norman may have braked just before or during the collision. 

The trial continues.