Mansfield ahead Lucas Akins has been jailed for 14 months for inflicting the demise of a bike owner he hit as he pulled out from a junction.
Leeds Crown Court docket heard how Adrian Daniel, 33, died 10 days after he was hit by Akins, who was driving his seven-year-old daughter to a piano lesson in a Mercedes G-Wagon, in Huddersfield, in March 2022.
Daniel was using down Huddersfield Highway, within the West Yorkshire city, on his approach house from work when Grenada worldwide Akins, 36, pulled out into his path from Crosland Manufacturing facility Lane.
Prosecutors stated the Sky Wager League One participant did not cease on the give-way signal, which the defendant disputed, telling law enforcement officials he didn’t see Daniel strategy.
On Thursday, Choose Alex Menary stated he had thought-about suspending the jail time period however had determined solely a direct sentence of 14 months was applicable.
Akins, of Holmfirth, admitted inflicting demise by careless driving at a earlier listening to.
Carmel Pearson, prosecuting, stated the collision was recorded on Daniel’s headcam.
He suffered catastrophic head accidents and died 10 days later in hospital.
The prosecutor stated it was a “difficult junction to emerge from” however the defendant “did not stop at the give-way sign”.
Daniel’s spouse Savanna learn a press release to the courtroom, describing her husband as “an adrenaline junkie” who rode his bike to and from work day by day.
She stated they had been married the 12 months earlier than he died and Adrian Daniel was completely dedicated to her and her daughter from a earlier relationship.
Savanna Daniel advised the choose: “It has been like hell and a nightmare I’m not waking up from.
“There was no motive for Adrian to be killed that approach.”
She said that if drugs, drink or excessive speed had been involved, that might make it more understandable, but added: “This was too easy a collision to have a taken a life.”
She said she knows Akins has a young family and she does not want them to grow up without their father.
She added: “We don’t want any extra lives to be destroyed from this.”
But she criticised him for failing to plead guilty at an earlier stage.
Tim Pole, defending, told the judge: “I need to publicly apologise on his behalf.
“The fact he caused the death of Daniel continues to dominate his thoughts and it’s a burden he will carry for the rest of his life.”
Pole stated his consumer understood the “frustration and anger” expressed by Savanna Daniels in regards to the time it took him to plead responsible, and stated her phrases to the courtroom “had a profound impact on him”.
The barrister stated the collision occurred when Akins was having difficulties in his private life and his marriage had now come to an finish, though he continues to co-parent his three younger youngsters.
Pole stated: “He’s fundamentally a decent, honest and hard-working individual.”
He stated the participant had “retained the support of his employers” however added this may increasingly not proceed with a direct custodial sentence.
Jailing Akins and disqualifying him from driving for 12 months, Choose Menary stated: “It is plain to me you are someone who is highly unlikely to trouble the courts again.”
He stated there was sturdy private mitigation however concluded: “Against that, it seems to be the appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody.”
The choose stated he accepted Akins’s regret was real but additionally stated his failure to confess his guilt at an earlier stage extended Savanna Daniel’s “heartache and grief”.
Akins has performed for Mansfield since 2022 and was beforehand with golf equipment together with Huddersfield, Tranmere and Burton.
In a press release issued by West Yorkshire Police, Mrs Daniel stated: “Three years of hell, three years of avoidance and adding further to my trauma has finally come to a close today with Akins’ sentencing.
“By no means being allowed to totally dwell the fact of Adrian’s absence due to the farce Akins has manufactured from the justice system and the possibilities provided to him, has lastly been put to mattress and this man isn’t any extra deserving of any additional of my time or concern.
“No power is held over me or my family anymore and no justice will ever bring Adrian back.
“This might all have been resolved sooner and that’s the additional insult to damage and makes a mockery of any regret that Akins affords for his actions.”
