A dangerous HGV driver from Sunderland has been jailed for a second time following a horrific collision on the A19 that left a man paralysed for nearly a decade before his death.
Kevin Hubbard, 67, of Lichfield Road, was originally sentenced to two years in prison in 2016 for causing serious injury by dangerous driving to Keith Jamieson. The crash occurred on November 5, 2014, when Hubbard's truck ploughed into a stationary Ford Transit van on the A19 in County Durham after failing to notice it for approximately ten seconds.
Mr Jamieson, a 71-year-old roofer, suffered catastrophic neck and spinal fractures, leaving him paralysed from the neck down. After enduring almost ten years of bed-ridden suffering, he died in April 2024 due to complications from his injuries.
Hubbard admitted causing death by dangerous driving and appeared at Newcastle Crown Court for sentencing. The court heard a victim impact statement from Mr Jamieson's daughter, Nicola Jamieson, who described her father's ordeal.
"His life and our lives changed forever that day. He was left quadriplegic, he lost all movement from the neck down," she said. "His mind was completely intact but his body no longer worked. He couldn't move his arms, legs or hands. He was trapped inside a body that would not respond to him."
She detailed how her father required constant care, relying on ventilation to breathe and needing assistance with every basic task. "He lived in constant pain, fear and discomfort and endless vulnerability. The cruellest part of that was his mind was fully aware," she added.
Nicola also recounted the traumatic day her father died. She was considering whether to remove his ventilator to prevent cardiac arrest when he went into cardiac arrest. "His last act was to save me from having to make the decision to remove his life support," she said.
The court heard that the van should have been visible to Hubbard for around ten seconds before impact, but he only saw it and braked less than one second before the collision. Hubbard previously claimed sun glare affected his vision, but a judge concluded he had "just switched off and failed to appreciate the van was stationary until it was too late."
Judge Tim Gittins described the case as a "tragedy" and told Hubbard: "By reason of under ten seconds of inattention by you, Mr Jamieson's life was shattered until he lost his life early, after ten years of suffering."
The judge imposed a sentence of 44 months but subtracted the two-year term Hubbard had already served, resulting in a 20-month prison term. The court noted Hubbard had no previous convictions before or since the offence and had served his country on the frontline as a Royal Navy veteran.
Defence barrister Chris Knox said Hubbard's own situation had "changed irrevocably" since the accident. He now cares for his poorly wife and is retired, having returned to work for the same firm but not as an HGV driver. "He has regretted and relived this every day since. He is thoroughly remorseful," Mr Knox added.
