Father and 11-year-old son killed by 'hit-and-run' drunk driver as they walked together in Jersey

A father and his young son were killed by a 'hit-and-run' drunk driver as they walked together one summer evening. Their killer, Dylan Pounds, has now been sentenced for the crime.

Dean Lowe, 48, and Charlie Lowe, 11, were strolling along the Rue de Fauvic near Grouville on the Channel Island of Jersey when they were mowed down by a van driven Pounds. The 29-year-old was speeding after a drinking session and had been on his phone while driving moments before. He was also found in possession of cocaine and cannabis, a court heard.

He was handed a 15-year jail term on Monday (December 10) after being found guilty of causing the deaths of Charlie and Dean by dangerous driving following a trial at the Royal Court in Jersey in October. The defendant was also given a driving ban of 12 years.

The trial heard Pounds had been driving at 44mph - 14mph over the speed limit at the time. It was also heard he had drunk nine pints of lager prior to the collision on August 5, 2023 and had fled the scene.

Ashleigh Le Boutillier, Dean Lowe's partner and Charlie's mother, told the court in a victim impact statement there is "no joy" in her life now. She said: "Nobody can begin to understand how my life has been destroyed.

"I struggle to put one foot in front of the other. There is no joy in my life now. My boys were my world. Now I come home to silence. My heart aches that I will never see their faces again."

Kaye Lowe, Dean's mother and Charlie's grandmother, added: "I will never get to hold my Charlie in my arms again. I will never celebrate anything again. The rest of my life will be about survival. I have nothing left to live for."

Charlie was a popular pupil at St Clement’s primary school on the island. After the sentencing, Detective Constable Alex Le Chevalier read out an extract from his school diary. Charlie wrote: "The most inspirational person to me is my dad. Your dad teaches you through your life.

“Yes, they may shout at you but they're just trying to get you through life. Fathers will protect, no matter what the cost. Also, the most inspirational person is my mum, they can talk to you when times are hard."

Inspector David Turnbull, Lead Investigating Officer, said: "Dylan Pounds' selfish actions have had grave consequences. On Dean and Charlie’s family and friends, on our community, and on himself. Drinking and driving should never go hand in hand. The risks are simply not worth it.

"This investigation has been very challenging and thorough. Officers worked extremely hard and closely with the Law Officers Department to put strong evidence before the court and I want to thank them for their work. Our thoughts will always be with the family and friends of Dean and Charlie Lowe."

Despite being taken to accident and emergency where "great efforts were made to save them" both succumbed to their injuries that night. After their deaths, tributes poured in for Dean and his son Charlie from the shocked community.

Dean was described as a beloved member of the Jersey Employment Trust (JET) where he had worked for 17 years and as a respected musician who played as part of a duo called 24/7.

A JET spokesperson said everyone there was devastated by the tragedy. In a statement they added: "There was no one more dedicated and passionate than Dean about what he did, supporting people who have a disability or long-term health condition into work. It often seemed like he knew everyone in Jersey, and certainly anyone who has met him would agree he was full of life and fun and, at all times, JET’s greatest ambassador.

Dean, who has worked with us since 2006, was an employment co-ordinator and more recently employer engagement manager, working tirelessly to promote our services to employers and setting up links with corporates and businesses as well as industry bodies such as Digital Jersey, the Jersey Retail Association and Jersey Finance. He had recently started a programme to introduce neurodiversity training in businesses.

“We send our heartfelt love and condolences to Dean’s family and friends. His loss will no doubt be felt right across our Island community due to the nature and dedication of the work he so passionately undertook, and he will be sadly missed by us all."

Dean's musical duo act performed at the Dolphin in Gorey the night before the tragedy.The venue’s manager Avelino Carvalho also paid tribute and added: "Deano and Tony (who made up 24/7) had been playing here for years, and it’s been a real shock to hear this awful news.

"You couldn’t find anyone who was a better entertainer than Deano, he was such a natural with his jokes and his music, and people loved him to bits – he just made everyone in the place really happy, and we can’t believe this."