BMW driver admits causing death of teacher Alex Ramsden

A motorist has admitted killing a pedestrian on Great Coates Road by dangerous driving.

Thomas Sanigar, 39, of Tiverton Street, Cleethorpes pleaded guilty at Grimsby Crown Court to causing the death of 30-year-old teacher, Alex Ramsden on February 4 this year by dangerous driving. Relatives of Mr Ramsden were in court to hear the BMW driver admit the charge committed at around 11.40pm on February 3. The prosecution stated the charge had to reflect the fact Mr Ramsden was pronounced dead on February 4.

Judge John Thackray KC adjourned the plea hearing for a sentencing hearing which will take place next week at Grimsby Crown Court. He told Sanigar: "You should expect a custodial sentence of some length."

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He granted bail to the motorist so he can put his "affairs in order." The judge imposed an interim driving disqualification.

Judge Thackray told relatives of Mr Ramsden: "I can't imagine what you are going through."

He said he will hear their victim impact statements and offered them the opportunity to read them in court in person or have them read on their behalf by someone else. He added it was important they should not feel under any pressure to read them.

The judge said he wanted to preside over the sentencing hearing "sooner rather than later" as he regarded the case as "a priority." Senior Crown Advocate, Jeremy Evans said he will submit statements on the family's behalf, and offered to read them, if they wish.

The senior prosecutor said the charge had to be amended to reflect the death on February 4, though the fatal collision had happened before midnight. For Sanigar, David Godfrey said there was no requirement for a pre-sentence report and his client accepted the charge.

He said he will be obtaining references on behalf of his client and that Sanigar wished to write a letter to the judge.

Alexander, a Grimsby Town supporter, studied at Manchester Metropolitan University and Bishop Grosseteste University and was a passionate writer, having self-published many short stories. He had worked as an English teacher and was described as "inspiring".

He taught at Engineering UTC Northern Lincolnshire. His family issued a statement through Humberside Police in the days following the tragedy in which they said: "The day we received the awful news Alex had died, a part of us died with him. Alex was the most loving son we could have wished for and words cannot begin to describe how much we will miss him."

Other tributes described him as "smart and funny."