An 89-year-old man died a month after being knocked down as he crossed a road in Watford using his walking frame, a court heard yesterday.

Arthur Lakin was heading home when he was struck by a black Vauxhall Vectra in Rosslyn Road and was left with serious head injuries and broken ribs.

The driver, Raymond Carroll, 47, from Luton, told police he did not see the pensioner because he was dazzled by the low sun.

Prosecutor Geoffrey Porter told St Albans Crown Court: “The incident occurred on October 25, 2010, at about 3.40 in the afternoon. It was a clear, bright autumn afternoon.

“Mr Lakin was an elderly gentleman – 89 years old – who was walking very slowly and was using a frame with wheels on the bottom.”

He said Mr Carroll drove along Rickmansworth Road and turned into Rosslyn Road, a small side road. The driver’s side of the Vectra struck Mr Lakin, who fell into the road.

An ambulance was called and he was taken to Watford hospital, where he died on November 26 from injuries suffered in the collision. He had a head wound and broken ribs.

Mr Carroll, who stayed at the scene, was interviewed by the police. He said he did not see Mr Lakin because the sun was very low and had dazzled him.

But the prosecutor said: “The sun in his eyes is not an excuse for his actions. He should have taken care not to strike Mr Lakin.”

Carroll, of Grosvenor Road, Luton, pleaded not guilty to causing death by careless driving.

Paramedic Russell Rookley, whose statement was read to the court, said Mr Lakin was unconscious and suffered bleeding to the back of his head, which he dressed.

PC Chris Webb said when he arrived at the scene Mr Lakin was lying in the road, about four to five metres from the junction with Rickmansworth Road. Mr Carroll was standing 15 feet away and appeared distressed with both hands on his head.

The collision was investigated by PC Alan Kemp who said the car’s sun visor was down and that the Vectra would have been travelling at a low speed as it turned into Rosslyn Road from Rickmansworth Road, which both have 30 mph limits. He said Mr Lakin would have been at least three metres across the road when he was struck.

CCTV recovered from the town centre showed the pensioner, who was wearing slippers, had been shopping and was returning home.

“Mr Lakin walked at an extremely slow speed. From the CCTV I timed him in the pedestrian area where he was taking three seconds to walk every metre. He would have been in the road for about ten seconds,” said PC Kemp.

The case continues.