Family of Grantham man Josh Ashworth who died being hit by a car say he 'still had so much to do and achieve'

The father of a 22-year-old man who died after being hit by a car says his son “still had so much to do and achieve”, as the man responsible admitted causing his death by careless driving.

Josh Ashworth was killed on Somerby Hill, Grantham, on April 22 last year by Cole Tresidder, also 22.

Tresidder, of Springfield Road, Leicester, also pleaded guilty to driving a black BMW while disqualified and having no insurance when the collision occurred.

He was remanded into custody after entering his three guilty pleas at Lincoln Crown Court on Thursday and will be sentenced on March 24.

Josh’s dad, Simon Ashworth, said he “hoped [the trial] would provide some sort of closure, but it has changed nothing for us as a family”.

He added that the court case has left them “sad, anxious and very emotional”.

“Josh is still dead,” said Mr Ashworth.

“We still have to live with the trauma of those events. We will be giving witness impacts statements [at Tresidder’s sentencing], so the trauma mentally continues.”

Steven Gosnell , prosecuting, told the court that the case was put on the basis that Tresidder was speeding at over 60mph in a temporary 30mph zone that was going into a 50mph limit.

Mr Gosnell said that he provided a negative breath test but later refused to provide a specimen of blood.

“We are unable to say if he was under the influence of drink or drugs at that time,” Mr Gosnell added.

The court heard Tresidder was disqualified from driving at the time after a previous incident where a car containing cocaine was stopped.

Tresidder will also be sentenced for those matters on March 24.

Judge Catarina Sjolin Knight told Tresidder: “You have pleaded guilty to three offences, what they amount to is that you have admitted your responsibility for causing the death of Joshua Ashworth by your driving.”

“This is a serious matter,” the Judge added.

“I have not been asked to readmit you to bail, so I will remand you into custody.

“I don’t ask for a presentence report. It is a custodial sentence.”

Josh lived in Grantham, but was a long-time resident of Bottesford.

Alongside his father and grandfather, Josh was a member of the Vale of Belvoir Lions Club, and he was recently remembered at an awards ceremony.

He received the posthumous Melvin Jones Fellowship Award at the Lions Platinum Jubilee Awards for his contributions to the club from a young age.

In memory of Josh, the University of Lincoln, which he attended as a student, will be naming an electrical wing after him.

Simon said: “We would like to remember Josh for the good and caring person he was. He worked tirelessly within his community to make things better.”

Although undiagnosed, Simon believed Josh was mildly autistic, so the family plans to support young people with autism.

"We miss Josh beyond words. He had so much still to do and so much he would have achieved”, he added.