Royal Mail postman jailed over police officer death crash

Graham Ellison "did not consider the safety of other road users", the judge said

A Royal Mail postman whose careless driving killed an off-duty police officer has been jailed.

Graham Ellison's van was on the wrong side of the road when PC Oliver Evans' motorcycle turned a corner near Sedbergh, Cumbria, in September 2019.

The 27-year-old died when he came off his motorbike after braking hard.

Ellison, 59, who had previously admitted causing death by careless driving, was jailed for 32 weeks by the judge at Carlisle Crown Court.

The former postman, of Back Lane, Warton, near Carnforth, was also ordered to serve a two-year driving ban when released.

PC Oliver Evans, 27, was engaged to his police officer partner Holly Bee

The court heard Ellison had slowly overtaken a horse and cart travelling on the A683 at Middleton on the afternoon of 16 September, but remained in the opposite lane ahead of a blind bend as he intended to pull into a lay-by to collect mail from a post box.

A collision expert concluded that Mr Evans, who worked with the police mobile support unit in Kendal, would have had a maximum of two seconds to react.

Prosecutor Rachael Woods said: "His reaction was to brake hard in an emergency fashion with the front brake which, sadly, caused the motorbike to lift at the rear and throw him off over the handlebars, and he somersaulted end over end before impacting into the now stationary van."

Mr Evans suffered severe head and spine injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, despite attempts by a number of people - including Ellison - to save him.

'Huge void'

In victim impact statements, Mr Evans' mother, Shirley, described the loss of her "rock and the light of my life" as "beyond words".

His father, Simon, said Mr Evans' death "has left a huge void in my life and that of those with whom I am close".

His fiancée, Holly Bee, who is also a serving police officer, told the court: "I do not think there are words to explain what it feels like to feel your whole world crash down around you, and to feel like you are stood in the rubble of your own life, without the very person who promised to be by your side for the rest of your life."

Ellison's barrister, Colette Renton, said he thought of Mr Evans "every day".

"He has a cross on his mantelpiece in his home to remind him of the events of that day," she said.

In sentencing, Judge Nicholas Barker said: "It should have been obvious to you that by remaining in the opposite carriageway you were presenting a significant hazard to any oncoming vehicle.

"I am satisfied that you simply did not consider the safety of other road users."