Soldier pleads guilty to death of DJ friend (From Gazette Series)

Soldier pleads guilty to death of DJ friend

A 22-YEAR-OLD soldier has admitted causing the death of Dursley disc jockey Kristian Johansen by dangerous driving last summer.

David Ian Pitts, of Union street, Dursley, pleaded guilty at Gloucester Crown Court last Friday to causing the death of his passenger, Mr Johansen - known as 'DJ Perv' - by dangerous driving on the B4066 Uley-Dursley road on July 30 last year.

Pitts' barrister Jonathan Challinor asked for the case to be adjourned for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

He added that Pitts, who is still a member of the army but suffered serious injuries in the crash, was due to face a military medical board on September 22. It was expected that he would be discharged from the forces on that date, Mr Challinor said.

Pitts told the court that he had served in Kosovo, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Ireland. Recorder David Lane QC granted Pitts bail and ordered him to return to court on September 23 to be sentenced.

Mr Johansen, 25, of Upper Poole Road, Dursley, was the passenger in a blue VW Golf which careered off the B4066 Uley-Dursley road and hit a tree. He was killed and Mr Pitts, who was with the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment, was taken to Bristol's Frenchay Hospital with serious injuries.

Both men were cut free by fire fighters from the wreckage after the smash but Kristian was pronounced dead at the scene.

Gloucester coroner Alan Crickmore has opened an inquest into Kristian's death and adjourned it until a date to be fixed.

Pathologist Professor Neil Sheppard found that death was due to multiple injuries.