By Biker jailed following fatal collision with ambulance at South Thoresby
A motorcyclist has been jailed after his riding partner died in a collision with an ambulance heading to Grimsby on the Louth bypass.
Liam Addison, 30, of Grainthorpe, suffered fatal chest injuries after hitting the ambulance which was carrying a patient and two crew. All three were uninjured in the incident which happened on the A16 at South Thoresby.
Mr. Addison was on a ride on a Yamaha 1,000cc with Adam Clover, 31, who was following behind.
Lincoln Crown Court heard Clover, had two previous convictions for speeding, but had no part in causing his friend’s death, Mr. Addison’s family also concurred.
However, a judge jailed Clover for ten months after telling him that his “grossly excessive speed” represented a significant danger to pedestrians and other road users. Both men had set off together from Market Rasen shortly before 6 pm on June 9, 2020. Forensic examination of the 1000cc Yamaha bike showed he covered the 31 miles to the crash scene at an average speed of just over 76mph.
Steven Gosnell, prosecuting, said there was evidence from his bike that Mr. Addison’s front wheel speed reached 168mph on the A16 Louth bypass.
Mr. Addison’s average speed over a 2.6-mile section of the journey was reported at 110mph, including the one-mile section through the village of Swaby with a speed limit of just 50mph. The Yamaha motorcycle ridden by Mr. Addison collided with an East Midlands Ambulance Service.
It had emerged onto the A16 at Calceby, near Ulceby Cross, at around 6.30 pm on June 9, when the collision happened.
Following the collision, Clover, of Warren Road, Saltfleet, was charged with causing Mr. Addison’s death by dangerous driving. He was due to stand trial last month but the Crown Prosecution Service accepted a plea to a lesser charge of dangerous driving following a review of the evidence which was supported by Mr. Addison’s family.
The court heard he previously had a penalty for speeding at 80mph in a 50mph limit and received three penalty points in 2020 for doing 80mph on the M62.
Andrew Thompson, mitigating, said Clover did not reach the speeds reached by Mr. Addison.
“Mr. Addison was on a more powerful motorbike, newly purchased, and riding it at a very high speed,” Mr. Thompson explained. “Mr. Clover was in a catch-up situation.”
“Mr. Clover was able to stop some yards before the ambulance, and assisted the ambulance driver getting out the vehicle, as there was damage to the front door,” Mr. Thompson added. Passing the sentence Judge Simon Hirst made it clear he was not sentencing Clover for causing the death of his friend
“It is plain Mr. Addison’s family do not bare you any ill will at all, indeed the opposite is true,” Judge Hirst explained.
However, Judge Hirst said it was clear that Clover had himself been riding at “grossly excessive speeds”
Clover was sentenced to ten months imprisonment, banned from driving for 17 months, and must also take an extended retest.
(Image:Lincolnshire Police)
