A man has been jailed for 10 months and disqualified from driving for 23 months for causing death by careless driving following a crash that killed an 'adored' motorcyclist.
Cameron Guy Ward, 30, of Oak Drive, in Sowerby, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to the charges of causing the death of 26-year-old Gregory Newcombe by careless driving, driving without insurance, and perverting the course of justice.
He was sentenced on Friday (October 11), at York Crown Court.
At approximately 2.30pm on Sunday 10 July 2022, emergency services were called to the junction of the A684 and Sinks Lane, between Newton le Willows and Bedale, following reports of a collision involving a car and a motorcycle.
The collision occurred when Ward, driving his brown-coloured Ford Fiesta, emerged from Sinks Lane onto the A684 and collided with Gregory’s Harley-Davidson.
The impact ejected Gregory from his motorcycle, causing him to strike the car's roof before landing on the ground nearby.
He intended to create the impression that he had been insured at the time of the crash.
Paramedics attended, but Gregory was pronounced dead at the scene.
A witness driving behind Ward confirmed that, as she approached the junction, she looked to her right and saw the motorcycle approaching before the Fiesta pulled out onto the main road.
She witnessed the collision and described the motorcycle hitting the Fiesta, with the rider being thrown ‘high into the air’.
Forensic Collision Investigators provided evidence that contradicted Ward's claim that bright sunlight had impaired his visibility through the driver’s side window.
Their findings confirmed that the sun was not a contributing factor at the time of the collision, nor were there any defects in the vehicle that could have caused or contributed to the collision.
As well as a 10-month custodial sentence, Ward was also issued with a 23-month driving ban.
“I miss Greg coming through the door at the end of the day, telling the tales of his adventures at work in the wagon. I miss his smile, his laughter, his jokes, and his cocktails on a Saturday night. Greg was a lovely caring young man who had everything to live for.
“Unfortunately, on Sunday 10th of July 2022, he had everything stolen from him - his life, his future. Those are the greatest possessions anyone has, and they were stolen from him in the blink of an eye through carelessness.
“The A684 is a road I can no longer face driving on and now I have to take a longer alternative route to avoid driving over the place where Greg died and passing the scene. The police arrived and told me that Greg had had an accident. That was over two years ago but it still feels like yesterday. Those words ‘he died at the scene’ haunt me.
“Our family has already endured over two years of suffering, pain, and heartbreak. A life sentence that will only end for us when we die. There will be no grandchildren from Greg for me to dote on, and all I have now are memories of a lovely boy, a certificate from the crematorium, and a box of ash.”
Greg’s father added: “I am so proud of everything he had achieved and the young man he had become in his all too short life… his loss is indescribable. I will never hold him again, never see him again, never hear his voice again and be able to spend precious moments with him, it’s every parent’s worst nightmare and that loss will stay with me forever.
“As the inscription on Greg’s memorial stone reads, ‘I had places to go and things to see, but life was stolen from me’.”
Following sentencing Detective Chief Inspector Jeremey Bartley, who was the Lead Investigating Officer in the case, said: "Our thoughts remain with Greg's loved ones as they continue to process their loss. Throughout this difficult investigation, they have shown remarkable composure and dignity, supported by a specially trained Family Liaison Officer.
"The defendant, failing to properly observe at a junction, pulled out into the path of a motorcycle, resulting in a tragic collision.
“Despite being uninsured, he attempted to cover up his negligence by purchasing insurance just minutes after the crash – a clear act of self-preservation while a young man lay dying on the road due to his actions.
"Though the defendant had no intention of causing harm, his reckless behaviour led to the devastating loss of a young life, robbing him of the future he could have shared with his family.
"Every road death brings immeasurable heartache and harm to the families and communities left behind. We see too often the needless tragedies caused by unsafe driving, and we work tirelessly to reduce this preventable loss.
"I hope the sentence serves as a stark reminder to all road users: Always look twice, especially for bikes. Road safety can save lives.”
His younger brother said: “Greg was my older brother, best friend and go-to person. My life has been very different since we lost Greg, and I don't think I can put into words the hole it has left in my life and so many others around me.
“You try to carry on your life as best you can, holding on to the good memories and making the most like Greg would want you to, but there are always reminders and triggers that make day-to-day life very difficult.
“Finding out the actions of the driver following the accident has made it much harder to come to terms with knowing someone could so quickly think about their own life, and lie for their own gain, with such little regard for Greg’s life. Greg would be so disappointed his life ended this way.”
Greg’s Grandma also added: “My first grandson, my pride and joy, he was always happy, helpful, and kind. He was full of fun and mischief.
“Every morning between 9.30am and 10am, he would ring me up with ‘Now then Grandma, how are you today?’ and he would tell me all the wonderful things that he had seen that day - a glorious sunrise, deer in the fields, buzzards.
“Nothing can replace that empty space in my heart and mind I shall mourn him for the rest of my life.”
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