A PENSIONER who failed an eyesight test has had his driving licence seized under Cassie’s Law.

The man, 81, was driving a Citroen C5 when he struck a cyclist who was then hospitalised for eight days with head and ankle injuries.

An Essex Police spokesman said the driver was unhurt, but failed an eyesight test.

Officers contacted the DVLA and his licence was revoked.

The spokesman said: “The test requires drivers to read a standard number plate from a distance of 20.5 metres.

“It is a road traffic offence to be unable to read a number plate in good daylight from this distance.”

Cassie’s Law was introduced after a campaign, led by Jackie McCord and supported by the Gazette, called for a change in the law following the death of Jackie’s daughter Cassie.

The 16-year-old Colchester Sixth Form College student was standing on the pavement in Head Street, Colchester, in February 2011 when a car driven by Colin Horsfall ploughed into her.

Cassie suffered fatal injuries and died the following day.

Three days earlier, Mr Horsfall, 87, drove into the exit of Tesco’s petrol station in Highwoods, Colchester. Police were called and gave Mr Horsfall a sight test, which he failed. However, they had no powers to seize his licence and he ignored their requests for him not to drive again.

While the application to revoke his licence was processed, Mr Horsfall drove again and that is when he killed Cassie.

The campaign saw 46,000 names collected on a petition calling for police to be given the power to immediately revoke a driver’s licence when they were considered unfit to drive and it would then be down to the DVLA to either revoke or return the licence.

The petition was presented to Transport Minister Stephen Hammond who agreed to set up a hotline for police to get an immediate response from the DVLA.

Anyone with information about the crash in Burnham Road, Althorne, near Maldon, on January 2 at about 4.45pm can contact PC Mel Warren on 101.