A ‘self-centerd and deceitful’ 81-year-old driver has been spared jail after killing a biker and then lying about what happened.
William Beckett of Vernham Dean, Hampshire, has been handed a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, at York Crown Court.
He was convicted by a jury of causing death by dangerous driving after pulling out of a side road straight into the path of an oncoming motorcycle being ridden by Nick Gilroy.
Beckett was also given a six-month curfew, ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work and disqualified from driving for three years.
On May 20, 2023, Mr Gilroy was riding his motorcycle in North Yorkshire. Beckett emerged from a side road into his path. Despite the biker taking evasive action to avoid Beckett, he was struck by the car and thrown from his motorcycle.
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The 64-year-old suffered serious injuries and died a few weeks later. Mr Gilroy was a travel writer from York who had previously served in the RAF.
He loved motorbiking and even completed a solo trip throughout all the states of the USA.
Beckett denied causing death by dangerous driving and said he had stopped and looked in both directions before pulling out.
He had suggested cyclists may have obscured his view and even tried to blame his victim for the fatal crash.
But collision investigators at North Yorkshire Police found he would have had a clear view of the motorcycle for nine seconds – or 160 meters – before pulling out. The jury found Beckett guilty following just over an hour of deliberation.
The judge said Beckett was ‘self-centerd’ and ‘deceitful’, saying he had shown ‘not one shred of remorse or feeling for the family’.
The judge added Beckett had attempted to dodge responsibility despite the overwhelming evidence.
Detective Constable Stephanie Palmer of the force’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: ‘This tragic case demonstrates the devastating consequences that can occur when drivers fail to take proper care at junctions. The victim was an experienced motorcyclist who was riding lawfully and within the speed limit.
“We would urge all drivers to take extra time to look carefully for vulnerable road users, including motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians, particularly when emerging from side roads and junctions. Taking those few extra moments to ensure it is safe can help prevent further tragedies on our roads.”