Man jailed for killing cyclist - Kempston

29/06/2012

A driver who struck an 80-year-old cyclist causing his death has been jailed for careless driving.

Ajay Kalyan, 25, admitted causing the death of Guiseppe Roccotiello by careless driving in Kemspton, Beds on 01 August last year.

Luton Crown Court was told on Friday, 29 June 2012, that the victim, who lived in Kempston, was a fit and active man who liked cycling to visit friends.

Alex Young, prosecuting told the court that Kalyan was driving a Chrysler people carrier along Bedford Road, Kempston at lunchtime and made a right turn into King Street  as Mr. Roccotiello was crossing the junction.

Mr. Young said Kalyan took the corner "at some speed" just as the traffic lights were changing.

The victim was helped by a doctor from the nearby surgery but died later that day.

Initially Kalyan said he had not seen the cyclist, but he later told police he had presumed the cyclist was going to stop.

Judge Michael Baker QC said: "The cyclist did not stop and there was no reason why he should, and by the time you realised, it was too late to take effective action. You struck him and caused him fatal injuries.

"This was caused by a lack of proper consideration for cyclists caused by an entirely inappropriate attitude to cyclists in general. It falls in the top range of cases of causing death by careless driving."

Kalyan, of Farrer Street, Kempston was jailed for 14-months and banned from driving for five years.

Richard Ricks, defending said on the day of the crash Kalyan was on his way to the doctors expecting to receive the good news that he was all clear from a cancer that he had been suffering from for four years.

"This was a momentary lapse. He is overwhelmed with remorse and sought professional counselling for that. He offers his profuse apologies to the family."

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