A MOTORIST who had been in the pub before he killed a pedestrian in a hit-and-run crash in Southampton has been jailed for a year.

Allison Steege was hit by a yellow Mercedes Vito van outside Southampton General Hospital as she lay on the road.

She had been a patient in the accident and emergency department at the hospital but had left shortly before the crash to have a cigarette.

Ms Steege was in Tremona Road when she was hit and died of her injuries in hospital.

Daniel Rogan, of Sandpiper Road, admitted driving into Ms Steege and leaving the scene.

The court heard he had been i the pub with the friends the afternoon of the accident.

Two days after the accident the 24-year-old handed himself into police when investigators had identified the van.

Following the collision, which happened at 10.50pm on April 25 last year Rogan pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving, at Southampton Crown Court.

Rogan was found not guilty by a jury of causing death by dangerous driving but admitted that his careless driving caused Ms Steege's death.

He was sentenced to a year in prison and disqualified from driving for two-and-a-half years.

PC Mark Furse said: “This was a tragic incident that could have so easily been avoided if Mr Rogan had been paying attention to the road in front of him.

“I hope this shows just how important it is for motorists to keep their eyes on the road at all times, because just a few seconds can have devastating consequences.”

Ms Steege had been being treated in the hospital’s accident department before the crash after being admitted in a distressed state.

But she left shortly afterwards during her treatment and was then involved in the accident.

At the time of the incident a hospital spokesman said that an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

He said the hospital was unable to reveal why the woman had been intially rushed to hospital and the police and coroner are investigating.

An inquest into the incident will now be held by the corner.

At the time a hospital statement said: “The trust has been working closely with the police to provide information about this incident and continues to work alongside other healthcare organisations to review the circumstances surrounding it.

“All relevant hospital reports and documentation will be shared with the coroner upon completion of the police investigation.”