North Shields driver who killed man after sleepless camp jailed

David Henderson and his dog Miley were killed in a car crash

A driver who killed a man following a sleepless night wild camping has been jailed for nine months.

Alan Lockey, 62, fell asleep while driving home from the Cheviot Hills and crashed into a car being driven by David Henderson, 76, in September 2020.

Mr Henderson died on his granddaughter's 12th birthday and his dog Miley had to be put down, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Lockey, from North Shields, admitted causing death by careless driving.

He was driving with cold air blowing at his face in a failed attempt to stay awake when his Ford C Max veered across the road on the A697 near Morpeth, Northumberland, and hit Mr Henderson's Renault Clio head-on, the court heard.

Mr Henderson was a former mechanic and keen motorcyclist and photographer who stayed active with zumba and yoga, the court was told.

'Not in fit state'

Judge Edward Bindloss said Lockey, of Delaval Avenue, had sent text messages from the Cheviot Hills the night before and in the early morning of the crash talking about the wind and the equipment he had taken with him.

"It is clear you had a bad night in the wind with lightweight equipment which did affect your sleep," the Judge told Lockey, adding: "You were not in a fit state to be driving.

"You took the decision to drive when you knew you were tired, you were fighting that tiredness, you were blowing cold air into your face.

"It was the wrong decision to take and it had the fatal consequences that it did."

The judge said Mr Henderson was "well-respected" and had a "keen zest for life and love of his family and community" who had been devastated by his death.

Richard Thyne KC said Lockey had no history of bad driving and was of positive good character.

The court heard Lockey was "hard working and trustworthy" and had shown genuine remorse.