[A] driver who admitted causing death whilst driving without due care and attention has today been given a suspended sentence of 20 weeks imprisonment (suspended for one year) and has been disqualified from driving for three years.
Matthew Dawkins-Gray, 28 years, of Kendal, was sentenced by the district judge sitting at Preston Magistrates Court today (14 December, 2017) after previously admitting the charge on 29 November, 2017, at Barrow Magistrates’ Court.
Dawkins-Gray was driving a red Ford Focus on the A65 Burton Road in Kendal at around 10.55am on 14 December 2015 when his car collided with a Kia Picanto driven by Margaret Patterson, an 84 year old lady from Kendal.
The Kia was turning right from Helmside Road onto Burton Road at the time of the collision.
Margaret Patterson was taken to the Royal Preston Hospital following the collision. However, her condition deteriorated and she died the following evening.
The evidence shows that Dawkins-Gray was travelling at a minimum speed of 50mph. The police investigation found that Dawkins-Gray would have been able to avoid the collision, had he been driving to the 40mph speed limit for the road.
Sergeant Martin Smith said: “Dawkins-Gray initially denied he had been driving too fast prior to the collision. However, thanks to witnesses and collision investigation work, we were able to show he was significantly exceeding the 40mph limit for the road.
“This case highlights the dangers of speeding. A limit on a road is not an arbitrary number to be ignored. It is a speed limit set for the safety of all road users and anyone who exceeds it, as Dawkins-Gray did on this occasion, is risking the lives of themselves and other road users.
“Dawkins-Gray’s decision to speed has resulted in tragic consequences. I hope today’s finalisation of the court process, following a lengthy and thorough investigation, officers her family some small sense of closure.”
