Man avoids jail after causing death of man crossing road in Lincolnshire
He was given a suspended sentence
A man has avoided jail after causing the death of a man crossing the road in Lincolnshire.
58-year-old Richard Gregory was sentenced to six months in prison suspended for one year, after being found guilty of causing death by careless driving.
He's also been banned from driving for 12 months.
The court heard how in August 2023, Gregory was driving west on Anchor Lane, Ingoldmells towards the A52 when he hit a man outside the entrance to Hardy’s Animal Farm.
The pedestrian, named as 63-year-old Gary Stephens, died at the scene.
Witnesses described Mr Stephens being chucked into the air and striking the windscreen before landing on the road.
Gregory was doing around 50mph in a 40mph road.
His speed meant that he would've been unable to avoid hitting Mr Stephens.
Gregory claimed in police interviews that he didn't see Mr Stephens until the last moment and tried to brake and swerve to avoid him.
Detective Sergeant Adam Doona said that that was no excuse: “This collision was due to the careless driving of Gregory when he chose to accelerate up to about 50 mph in a 40mph limit. This choice meant that there was no way for Gregory to avoid colliding with Mr Stephens, and a higher speed will always cause more severe injuries, particularly to a pedestrian.
“However, speed limits are just that – they are not a target. Drivers should always ensure that the speed they are travelling at is within the limit and suitable for all the conditions present."