Driver 'was not distracted' before fatal crash

Thomas Gibbs is on trial at Ipswich Crown Court

A driver was "concentrating" and "took necessary action" as soon as he could to try to avoid a collision which killed a cyclist, a court has been told.

Ben Jacobs died following a collision with a silver Volkswagen Passat while cycling on Church Road, Bentley, near Ipswich, on 17 May 2023.

The car was being driven by Thomas Gibbs, 43, of Church Road, who denies causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving.

Cyclists who were with Mr Jacobs at the time said Mr Gibbs had been in a hurry to get home to his children, but today Ipswich Crown Court heard he was "not distracted" and believed he was travelling no faster than 30mph.

Ben Jacobs and his wife Faye met when they were 15

On the second day of the trial, PC Mark Head, a forensic collision investigator, was quizzed by prosecutor Charles Myatt and defence barrister James Leonard KC.

It was accepted the views of the cyclists and Mr Gibbs were obstructed by foliage and the cyclists would not have entered his line of sight until 1.6 seconds before impact.

The lead cyclist, meanwhile, would not have seen the oncoming car until about 2.3 seconds before the collision, the court was told.

While there was evidence to suggest Mr Gibbs may have been on his mobile during his journey, he was not using his phone at the time of the incident.

The jury also heard Mr Gibbs, who was listening to music through his earphones, had been "attentive to his surroundings" and reacted as quickly as could be expected.

This was accepted by PC Head, who added: "There's no physical evidence to give an accurate speed at all but, no, [this was not a high-speed collision]."

Keen runner and cyclists Mr Jacobs died in hospital the day after the collision

Mr Jacobs, a 47-year-old married father-of-three, had been on a 30-mile ride with Darren Cook, David Solomon and Jason Taylor at the time of the collision.

The court heard they were using racing bikes and travelling on the single-track lane at about at about 22mph in a "one-behind-the-other formation" in "perfect" conditions.

Mr Jacobs was three cyclists from the front of the pack, which was being led by Mr Cook, when they approached a "very gentle bend" before the collision happened.

The victim, who lived in Rushmere St Andrew, near Ipswich, suffered a "significant brain injury" and died the next day at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.

Giving evidence, Mr Solomon, who was also struck by the car and suffered minor injuries, said he "felt uneasy that something was occurring" in the moments before.

"I remember a sixth sense that things were starting to go awry and things weren't quite as composed as they had been," he said.

"I don't remember seeing a car and have no memory of a clear word of warning [from the lead cyclist], but a car on a lane of this kind wouldn't normally require it.

"The gentlemen was clearly sorrowful, contrite and apologetic and made reference to a lateness about his journey and children that needed relief or picking up."

'Upset and remorseful'

Mr Taylor recalled thinking "this isn't going to be good" before seeing Mr Jacobs "get struck up into the air" by the car and landing on the verge.

"My first thought was the car didn't appear to be slowing and that alarmed me - it was coming at quite a speed towards us and it all happened so quickly," he said.

"I shouted for someone to call an ambulance and then Mr Gibbs said he only lived down the road so he explained our location to the ambulance service.

"He was very upset and remorseful and he put his hands over his face."

According to defence barrister Mr Leonard, Mr Gibbs believed he was travelling between "20mph and 30mph and there was sufficient room for him and the cyclists to pass safely".

The trial continues.