A 58-year-old motorist who knowingly ignored a severe visual impairment has been sentenced to five years and eight months in prison after striking and killing a pedestrian in Tunbridge Wells.
Mark Caprile was behind the wheel of a white Volkswagen Transporter on the evening of January 7, 2023, when he collided with 75-year-old Nigel Knight. The victim was crossing the road outside the Tunbridge Wells Football Club on Culverden Down when the incident occurred, leaving him with fatal head injuries.
Following the collision, Caprile was arrested at the scene and taken into custody, where he failed a fundamental eyesight assessment. When officers asked him to read a vehicle registration plate from the legally required distance of 20 metres, he was unable to do so. Further investigations and consultations with medical experts confirmed that Caprile was fully aware of his deteriorating vision prior to the crash but chose to continue driving in defiance of road safety laws.
Mr. Knight was rushed to the hospital by the South East Coast Ambulance Service but tragically succumbed to his injuries. Consequently, the initial charge against Caprile was upgraded to causing death by dangerous driving. After a trial at Maidstone Crown Court, Caprile was convicted and received his custodial sentence on March 12, 2026. Along with his prison term, the court disqualified him from driving for seven years and ten months, mandating that he pass an extended re-test before ever returning to the road.
Investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Faye Murphy, said:
‘Caprile got behind the wheel of his van knowing his vision fell below the legal standard for driving and therefore chose to put pedestrians and other road users at risk. As a result of his selfish choices, an innocent man paid the ultimate price. While the custodial sentence cannot change the impact of that fateful day on Mr Knight’s family, we hope that it brings them some comfort and offers some closure.’