The daughters of a nurse killed in a hit-and-run by a drunk ex-soldier with post-traumatic stress disorder have described him as a ‘monster’.
Emma, 22, and Sophie Jackson, 21, said their mother Susan was ‘so strong and loved by family and friends, and gave joy and love’.
Emma said Craig Mossop’s mental health problems were ‘no excuse to take to the bottle and run somebody over’.
Mrs Jackson, 50, who treated lung cancer patients, died when Mossop’s car mounted the pavement and hit her at 52mph as she walked to a gym.
The daughters of nurse Susan Jackon, who was killed in a hit-and-run by a drunk ex-soldier with post-traumatic stress disorder, have described him as a ‘monster’. Pictured: Mrs Jackson with her husband Graham Lockett
The Northern Ireland veteran, 51, will be sentenced today and faces up to 14 years in jail.
Bolton Crown Court heard Mossop sped from the scene and was only arrested after hitting a second pedestrian during a drunken six-mile journey in the town.
He claimed he was traumatised by flashbacks from his military service.
Emma Jackson told the court that her father Rupert, a doctor, took his own life aged 24 in 2002.
Emma, 22, and Sophie Jackson, 21, said their mother Susan was ‘so strong and loved by family and friends, and gave joy and love’
Yet, in contrast to Mossop, Mrs Jackson bravely managed her grief to look after her girls. She remarried in 2014.
Emma, a York University student, said: ‘My mum could have chosen to take the path of despair and drink away the pain. But she took responsibility and carried on with life.’
She told Mossop: ‘You say you are going through a tremendous amount of pain but that is no excuse to take to the bottle and run somebody over.
‘Take responsibility for the plague inside your head.’
Sophie, who studies at Brunel University in London, added: ‘A monster came into our lives and left my mum in the road dead.
‘This monster didn’t stop and didn’t get any help for my mum – this monster is you. You are a danger to society and shouldn’t be allowed to walk the streets.’
Mrs Jackson, 50, died when Mossop’s car (pictured after it hit the mother) mounted the pavement and hit her at 52mph as she walked to a gym
Mrs Jackson treated lung cancer patients. Pictured: The mother with former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson in 2015
Emma Jackson told the court that her father Rupert, a doctor, took his own life aged 24 in 2002. Yet, in contrast to Mossop, Mrs Jackson bravely managed her grief to look after her girls. She remarried in 2014
The tragedy occurred on August 23 after Mossop drove home to Bolton in his Land Rover Freelander, even though its MoT certificate had expired and it had faulty brakes.
Prosecuting, Colin Buckle said: ‘At a sharp left-hand turn near a David Lloyd health club, he was on the wrong side of the road and only just avoided a collision with another vehicle.
‘Mrs Jackson was on the pavement when the car mounted it at 52mph. It threw Mrs Jackson across the road.
‘The defendant then ignored a set of red traffic lights and narrowly missed a collision with a BMW.
During the hearing, Mrs Jackson’s second husband Graham Lockett told Mossop: ‘I now have to live without my soulmate. I have feelings of guilt for not being with her at the end. ‘But I have decided you should be burdened with this guilt alone’
‘He continued, swerved and collided with another pedestrian. He then crashed into a wall.’
Mossop tried to run off but was caught by members of the public. He had 51 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mg.
During the hearing, Mrs Jackson’s second husband Graham Lockett told Mossop: ‘I now have to live without my soulmate. I have feelings of guilt for not being with her at the end.
‘But I have decided you should be burdened with this guilt alone.’
The second pedestrian, John Devaney, was left with a punctured lung, two broken ribs and four broken bones in his spine.
Mossop had 37 previous convictions, including driving while disqualified, driving without due care and drink-driving.
He admitted causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving, drink driving and having no licence or insurance.