Scott Cooney: Killer driver jailed after hitting scooter rider with Land Rover and failing to stop

Scott Cooney, aged 48, has been locked up for over eight years after admitting causing death by dangerous driving.

He was behind the wheel of a black Land Rover that was involved in a collision with a Piaggio scooter on Mortimer Road on Wednesday June 2, 2021.

The scooter rider, 58-year-old Mark Jenkins, suffered catastrophic injuries but was left for dead when Cooney failed to stop and drove away from the scene.

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Mr Jenkins was taken to hospital where he remained critically ill until his death on June 8.

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PC Paula Townsend, of South Yorkshire Police’s serious collision unit, said: “Firstly I want to take this opportunity to extend my condolences to Mr Jenkins’ family, who ask that their privacy be respected as they come to terms with the conclusion of legal proceedings and this investigation.

“We received crucial information from witnesses to the collision that allowed us to identify the vehicle involved, which other motorists reported was driving at considerable speed and was seen several times to cross over the white lines onto the opposite carriageway, forcing other motorists to take evasive action.

“Piecing together the information from eyewitnesses and the description of the vehicle led us to Cooney’s address, where he was arrested by one of our officers who reported that he seemed unsteady on his feet and slurring his words.

“Cooney refused to provide a specimen of breath so that we could determine whether he was over the limit, but other evidence gathered showed that he had been purchasing quantities of alcohol at various locations across Sheffield throughout the day prior to the collision.

“No sentence passed will ever give Mr Jenkins’ family their loved one back, but I hope they are able to find some peace knowing that the individual responsible is now behind bars.”

Cooney, formerly of Manchester Road, Stocksbridge, appeared before Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, September 30, where he was sentenced to eight years and three months in prison and was disqualified from driving for 11 years.

He pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, failing to provide a specimen and failing to stop at the scene of a collision at a previous hearing.