Suspended sentence in death by careless driving case

Sonn Macmillan Walker represented L, who was prosecuted for causing death by dangerous driving and in the alternative, death by careless driving, arising from a fatal collision on an unlit section of “smart motorway” on the M1 near Northampton.  L collided with a broken-down vehicle in lane 1, whose driver had exited the vehicle and was standing in front of it. The driver died when struck by his own vehicle that had been struck by L’s vehicle.

At a trial in May 2025, L was acquitted of causing death by dangerous driving but convicted of causing death by careless driving.

The prosecution’s traffic officer accepted in cross-examination that had L responded one second earlier to the broken-down vehicle in lane 1, the collision would have been avoided.  The defence expert contended that L had responded within a reasonable time given the prevailing circumstances.

Despite the fine margins in the case, the jury nevertheless convicted L of causing death by careless driving. 

L was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months and ordered to perform 180 hours of unpaid work.

The case was prepared by David Sonn assisted by paralegals Allie Hochhalter (now of 25 Bedford Row) and latterly Sophie Drake.  Richard Dawson of Lincoln House Chambers in Manchester was trial counsel.