A motorcyclist has been jailed for 20 months for causing the death of a 19-year-old pillion passenger through dangerous driving. Peter John Dixon, 40, lost control of his 600cc Kawasaki and collided with another motorcycle on the A454 Bridgnorth to Wolverhampton road near Roughton on September 5 last year.
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The pillion passenger on the other machine, Mark Incher from Dudley, later died in hospital from his injuries.
Mr Peter Cooper, prosecuting the case at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Wednesday, said the accident had happened when Dixon crossed the solid white line on to the other side of the road and into the path of other road users at a fast corner.
“Ian Cookson was coming from the other direction and was in the best position to see what happened,” Mr Cooper said
“He was travelling around the sweeping right hand bend and ahead of him was his brother Craig, who was carrying Mr Incher on the pillion seat.
“He suddenly noticed his brother brake hard. The motorcycle coming the other way was on the white line and suddenly seemed to start coming towards Craig. Craig’s bike spun into the air and plastic from the bike was flying everywhere. The other bike then came towards him and all he remembers then was going over the handlebars.”
Other motorists called an ambulance to the scene and all four men were taken to hospital. Ian Cookson suffered a dislocated shoulder, Craig Cookson received serious injuries to his leg, which still requires treatment, and Dixon was treated for a compound fracture of his right arm.
Mr John Attwood, for Dixon, said the collision was a tragedy for all concerned. “This is a road that the defendant has travelled many times. It may be that familiarity bred a slight overconfidence,” he said.
He added that Dixon had shown genuine remorse and had often expressed concern for the other injured men.
Judge Robin Onions sentenced Dixon to 20 months in prison and disqualified him from driving for three years. He said: “I accept that your remorse is genuine and that your concern is not so much for yourself but for Mark Incher’s mother and family.”