Man who killed his father in head-on crash sentenced to prison

A driver who killed a father of three in a head-on crash has been sentenced to ten years in prison.

Lucian Abbey, 51, from the Leeds area, died when his Ford Transit was hit by an overtaking vehicle.

Alan Harwood, 49, was two and a half times over the cocaine limit when he caused the accident.

Nottingham Crown Court heard Harwood, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving in January.

On Monday, the court heard that Mr Abbey was traveling on the A614 between Bawtry and Blyth in Nottinghamshire at around 09:45 GMT on March 9, 2023 when the accident occurred.

Harwood was driving in the opposite direction and had previously been seen driving a truck over double white lines.

The driver of the truck said he was traveling at 54 miles per hour (87 km/h) on the road, which had a speed limit of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) for commercial vehicles, including the perpetrator’s van.

He said Harwood overtook him “a mile” over the speed limit in an “erratic” movement before disappearing from sight.

The van was then seen quickly catching up with a Peugeot car, which pulled to the side in anticipation of an overtaking maneuver.

The driver of the car said he saw the van pull out before hearing a loud bang.

Mr Abbey suffered a serious neck injury and was pronounced dead at the scene, the court heard.

Harwood was seriously injured and taken to hospital after being pulled from his van.

In a victim impact statement read out to the court, Mr Abbey’s family said he was “funny, kind and sweet”.

“He had a talent for making you feel special,” the family said.

“He had a truly unique soul.”

Judge Michael Auty KC told the defendant he killed Mr Abbey in a “completely unnecessary” maneuver.

“You cost three innocent children their father,” he said.

“You took a life, but inexplicably caused more damage.”

Harwood also pleaded guilty to driving while over the limit for a controlled drug and was sentenced to three months in prison. He was banned from driving for 10 years.

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