Pensioner pleads guilty to causing death by careless driving
A 72-year-old former bus driver has pleaded guilty to causing the death of Humberside Police Detective Constable Karen Smith by careless driving after he turned across a junction directly into the path of her motorcycle. The court heard that Laurence Green, of Littleham Close, Bransholme, Hull, thought he could safely turn right at the junction of the A1033 with the B1240 at Thorn Road, Hedon, but he 'got it woefully wrong,' leading to a fatal collision on December 18, 2024.
Details of the crash
At around 5:05 pm, the roads were dark as Green was driving a Honda Insight to pick up his 84-year-old long-term partner. Meanwhile, Det Con Smith, 49, was riding her blue Yamaha motorcycle home after completing a shift with the major crime team at Melton. At 5:06 pm, Green turned right at the junction, driving into the path of the oncoming motorcycle. The court was told that Green would have had about 268 metres, equivalent to 10 seconds, to see the motorcycle's headlight approaching. His female passenger warned him, 'Laurence – there is a bike,' moments before the impact. The collision produced a loud bang, and Det Con Smith suffered serious, unsurvivable injuries. She was thrown from her motorcycle and died at the scene.
Guilty plea and remorse
Green, who had a clean driving licence and no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. At the scene, he said: 'I didn't see them. They came out of nowhere. I wasn't going fast. I am so sorry.' His barrister, Glenn Parsons, told Grimsby Crown Court that Green felt heartfelt sorrow and deep remorse. 'Never in his wildest nightmares would he imagine that he would be in court, let alone in a case where someone has lost their life,' said Parsons. 'He does not intend ever to drive again.' The court also heard that Green had worked as a bus driver, HGV driver, and taxi driver, and ordinarily took his driving responsibilities very seriously.
Judge's comments and sentence
Judge Gurdial Singh stated: 'He thought he could get across and made a tragic miscalculation, which had awful consequences. He has calculated what he thought he could do and got it woefully wrong.' The judge added that the cause of the collision was Green turning across a motorbike that had the right of way, and it was entirely his fault. However, the judge accepted that Green's remorse was genuine and that he had accepted full responsibility from the start. Green was handed a one-year suspended prison sentence and banned from driving for two years.
Impact on family and colleagues
Det Con Smith, who had been married for 23 years and had two children, was described as deeply respected and much-loved. Humberside Police Federation said: 'Karen was a well-liked and popular colleague and was recognised by all who knew and worked with her as being tremendously hard working and dedicated. She showed an incredible level of compassion for victims of crime and tirelessly pursued justice for them.' The news of her death was 'truly devastating' to her family and colleagues.
