AN AMBULANCE service has offered to share its findings with the family of a man who died after waiting hours for assistance.

The Leader reported on Wednesday on the sentencing of 42-year-old Dale Hilton, of Heol Kenyon in Johnstown, who was found guilty after a trial of causing the death of George Ian Stevenson.

In March 2022, Mr Stevenson, 86, was knocked over by a “glancing” blow from Hilton's car.

The defendant was almost five times the legal limit for the drug benzoylecgonine (a cocaine breakdown product referred to as BZE.)

Mr Stevenson lay for hours on a cold and wet road waiting for an ambulance to arrive.

Tragically, he died after going into cardiac arrest.

And while Judge Niclas Parry said it couldn't be confirmed that the time it took an ambulance to arrive had an effect on Mr Stevenson's death, the Welsh Ambulance Service nevertheless "took a wholly unacceptable period of hours to arrive."

The Leader: George Ian StevensonGeorge Ian Stevenson (Image: Archive)Following the sentencing hearing, Liam Williams, executive director of quality and nursing at the Welsh Ambulance Service, said: “Our deepest sympathies remain with Mr Stevenson’s loved ones through what has been, and continues to be, a difficult time.

"We are working hard with health board colleagues and the Welsh Government in relation to ambulance waiting times as we know we need to improve the experience for people across Wales.

"We have completed a thorough investigation into the circumstances, and we remain available to his family to share our findings and the learning we have taken from this experience.

“I would once again like to extend condolences on behalf of the Trust to Mr Stevenson's family."

The Leader: Dale Hilton (NWP)Dale Hilton (NWP) (Image: North Wales Police)At Wednesday's hearing, Judge Parry highly commended those who had come to aid of Mr Stevenson; including nearby residents who brought blankets and hot water bottles to keep him warm and two off-duty paramedics who stayed at the scene for hours comforting the victim while he lay waiting for the ambulance.

The Judge did also acknowledge the defendant's actions in the immediate aftermath of the incident, which included quickly blocking off the side of the road where Mr Stevenson Lay, assisting him while on the ground and calling called Mr Stevenson's wife.

Hilton was jailed for a total of four years and banned him from driving for five years (in effect a three year ban to commence when he is eligible for release from prison on licence at the half-way point of the sentence).