An uninsured motorist whose careless driving led to the death of a motorcyclist near Bedale has been jailed for 10 months.
Cameron Ward, 30, from Sowerby, was driving a Ford Fiesta which pulled out of the junction of the A684 and Sinks Lane into the path of 26-year Greg Newcombe’s Harley Davidson, York Crown Court heard.
The resulting collision caused Mr Newcombe to be thrown from his beloved mustard-coloured motorbike.
Prosecutor Eddison Flint said that Ward initially went to Mr Newcombe’s aid but then, just two minutes after the crash, went online to take out temporary motor insurance to make it appear that he was covered before the collision.
Mr Newcombe, a lorry driver from Romanby, Northallerton, suffered catastrophic pelvic and groin injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene after going into cardiac arrest shortly after the accident on the afternoon of July 10, 2022.
Mr Flint said that Ward, who had nine points on his licence for road traffic violations, had been driving along Sinks Lane between Newton-le-Willows and Bedale in the moments before the fatal crash.
A female motorist who was driving behind him as they stopped at the junction with the A684 said she had a clear line of vision to where Mr Newcombe was approaching from the right-hand side on his Harley Davidson.
She then saw the Fiesta pull out of the junction straight into the path of the motorbike.
“The front of the defendant’s vehicle collided with the motorbike,” said Mr Flint.
This caused a wheel on the motorbike to come off and Mr Newcome was thrown from his bike.
As the female witness called police, Ward got out of the car and walked over to where Mr Newcombe was lying.
“(Ward) tried to assist (Mr Newcombe) at this point,” said Mr Flint.
“Over the coming minutes, a number of other road users stopped their vehicles to help.”
As they did so, Ward, looking “very pale (and) in shock”, walked away from the severely injured motorcyclist as police, ambulance crews, firefighters and a first responder arrived on the scene.
Emergency workers carried out cardio-pulmonary resuscitation but were unable to revive Mr Newcombe who was pronounced dead at about 3.20pm, some 50 minutes after the collision.
A police constable spoke to Ward at the side of the road and asked him about his car insurance.
“The defendant said he had taken temporary cover as it was his partner’s car,” added Mr Flint.
“(Ward) said he had taken the policy out before he had set off on his journey.”
However, it transpired that Ward had gone online on his phone just two minutes after the collision to buy temporary, one-day insurance.
Ward was taken in for questioning that same day and claimed the “sun was shining high in the sky and shining through his door window” as he pulled out of the junction.
However, an accident investigator said that at the time of the accident, the sun would not have been in a position to dazzle motorists at the junction.
He was quizzed again in January this year, when he told officers that he “didn’t see Mr Newcombe’s motorbike” and that “it must have been because of the ‘A’ pillar in my vehicle”.
He said he was “truly sorry” and that he “didn’t want to make (an insurance) claim” and that he “didn’t think a claim was made”.
However, when the case reached court, he admitted perverting the course of justice by trying to take out motor insurance after the accident.
He also admitted causing Mr Newcombe’s death by careless driving and while uninsured.
Ward, of Oak Drive, Sowerby, appeared for sentence today knowing his fate was in the balance.
Mr Flint, prosecuting barrister, said that although Ward had no previous convictions, he had accrued nine points on his licence in 2020 for speeding and failing to identify the registered keeper of a vehicle.
He read out victim statements from Mr Newcombe’s devastated family who were in court.
Christopher Newcombe, Greg’s father, said his son was “much-loved” and described his loss as “indescribable”.
“It’s every parent’s worst nightmare and the loss will stay with me for always,” he added.
“On July 10, 2022, our world fell apart.”
Gregory Newcombe’s Harley-Davidson and his crash helmet at the scene of the collision.
A reconstruction showing how the two vehicles collided.
He said that the biggest question was why Ward, in good visibility, decided to pull out when there was said to be a clear line of vision to Greg’s oncoming motorbike.
Mr Newcombe senior, who has received counselling and been put on medication since his son’s death, said his unbearable loss had been caused “by one person (who was) uninsured at the time and should not have been on the road”.
He said that Greg was an avid motorcyclist and was “doing something he loved” in the run-up to the fatal accident.
He said Greg was a HGV driver and had “just landed his dream job driving all over the country”.
He said his son had “so much potential and so much ahead of him” but “that has been cruelly ended”.
Greg’s mother Pauline said there had been “many hours of tears and sorrow” since her son’s death and that he “had everything stolen from him through carelessness, in the blink of an eye”.
She said that Greg and his brother had been planning a trip to see relatives in Canda and described her son as a “lovely boy” and a “careful and considerate driver”.
“Every day I despair and seethe with anger over what (Ward) did,” she added.
“Our family has already endured two years of suffering, pain and heartbreak. (It’s a) life sentence that will be with us until the day we die.”
Greg’s grandmother said the Harley Davidson was his “pride and joy” and that he was her “pride and joy”.
She described her grandson as “always helpful and kind and full of mischief” and that he loved outdoor pursuits such as mountain biking.
Defence barrister Sean Smith said that Ward, a father-of-three, had caring responsibilities including towards his partner who had medical problems and had enrolled on a college course to go self-employed as a handyman.
Judge Simon Hickey jailed Ward for 10 months and disqualified him from driving for 23 months.
Detective Chief Inspector Jeremey Bartley, who was the lead investigating officer in the case, said after today’s hearing: “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.”
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