Pensioner, 78, who admits causing fatal crash is jailedpublished at 13:34 Greenwich Mean Time 13 November 2020
A pensioner from Suffolk who fell asleep at the wheel on the A66 in Cumbria and caused a head-on crash which killed a much loved grandmother has been jailed for a year.
Colin Brown, 78, of Upper Street, Layham, near Ipswich, was in a Renault Master van towing a caravan which veered across the road into an oncoming Citroen C3 near Penrith.
Carlisle Crown Court heard Brown, who admitted causing death by dangerous driving was heading from his Suffolk home to the Lakes and had taken three breaks during a seven-hour journey.
The collision left Ann Copley, 76, from Carlisle trapped in the car with every bone in her body broken.
Judge Nicholas Barker heard of Brown’s poor health, his own previous family tragedies and considered references, but imposed an immediate 12-month jail term, saying the message must go out that drivers held a responsibility to others.