Man sentenced for killing biker in road crash

A man has been spared jail after he admitted killing a motorcyclist in a collision.

Brian Smith, 62, died when his bike was hit by a car driven by David Smith, 75, on Horncastle Road near Boston in April 2024.

Lincoln Crown Court heard David Smith, of Horbling Lane, Stickney, Lincolnshire, pulled out of a junction and turned in front of the motorbike, which was visible to him up to nine seconds before the crash.

He pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment suspended for two years.

Prosecutor David Eager told the court: "In crossing the road when he did this was careless driving, bordering on dangerous driving.

"The lack of observation is between seven and nine and half seconds."

The motorcycle was hit by the passenger side of the car and Brian Smith died after suffering multiple injuries.

Eager said there was no evidence the motorcyclist was anyway to blame and was driving within the speed limit.

The court heard David Smith gave a prepared statement and then a no comment interview to the police.

An impact statement from Brian Smith's partner of three decades described him as her "best friend" and said her life was now a "living hell".

"The day when the police knocked on my door my whole world fell apart," she said.

"I feel so lost and vulnerable," she added. "I have no interest now, I have panic attacks now. I am living in a daze."

She added that she regularly rode as a pillion passenger with her partner, who had never had an accident.

Passing sentence, Judge Simon Hirst said: "The impact of losing Brian Smith on his partner has been truly catastrophic.

"Brian Smith was visible from where you were stationary for over 200m and nine seconds."

The judge told the defendant it was an aggravating feature that he had blamed the deceased for the accident.

As well as the suspended sentence, David Smith was given a six-month curfew between 20:00 and 07:00 and banned from driving for 12 months and also ordered to take an extended retest.

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