New driver who killed a cyclist while speeding on Devon road sentenced

A newly-qualified driver who killed a cyclist while speeding just 17 days after passing his test has been jailed for 16 months, suspended for two years.

Harry Bennett, 24, was driving his girlfriend home from a beach barbeque on 4 June 2021 when he lost control of a bend on Braunton Road, Devon, hitting 77-year-old Geoffrey Dean from behind.

Mr Dean, who was a leading marine architect and former director of Appledore Shipyard, was cycling home from a design consultancy which he helped to run in Bideford.

The force of the impact was so big that the 77-year-old suffered a severe head injury and died at the scene.

Mr Herc Ashworth, prosecuting, told the court that Bennett should have been aware of the cyclist on the road ahead of him as he originally set off from the beach barbeque in the wrong direction.

The court heard that Bennett's most likely speed at the time of the crash was 47mph.

He hit Mr Dean so hard that he was thrown onto the bonnet and windscreen and over the roof of the car.

The bike was found 31 metres from the crash scene and a police expert calculated that Bennett was speeding at 43mph to 51mph in a 30mph zone at the moment of impact, the court was told.

The prosecution added there was no indication the car braked before the collision and that Bennett hit a wall after losing control on the corner.

Bennett, who was 22 at the time, had taken cocaine and ketamine the night before and had drunk two beers at the barbeque but was under the limit for both drink and drugs at the time of the crash.

Mr Tom Bradnock, defending said Bennett was a very inexperienced driver and is haunted by the guilt of having taken Mr Dean's life.

He added the 24-year-old has stopped driving and taking drugs and has moved to Bolton to get away from Devon, where is he retraining to become an electrician.

Bennett pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving.

During a hearing at Exeter Crown Court on 30 October, he was jailed for 16 months, suspended for two years, and banned from driving for three years.

He was also ordered to do 300 hours of unpaid community work, 15 days of rehabilitation activities and to pay £510 costs.

Judge David Evans told him: "These courts see far too many cases, mainly of young males, who make the woeful choice to drive at excessive speed. In doing so, they show a disregard for the obvious risks often coupled with an arrogant overconfidence.

"That was you on 4 June and it resulted in an awful tragedy when those obvious risks materialised and Mr Dean died as a result."