A DRIVER who killed a fellow teenager when he smashed into his moped has had his motoring ban nearly halved at London's Court of Appeal.
Daniel Adam Dawson, of Lincoln Road, Ingham, pleaded guilty in May this year at Lincoln Crown Court to causing the death of 17-year-old Ryan Hides by dangerous driving.
He was jailed for 17 months, and also disqualified from driving for seven year
s.
Last week top judges cut that driving ban to four years after hearing that it would be difficult for Dawson to find employment without a car because he lives in an isolated village with poor public transport.
The 19-year-old did not challenge his custodial sentence.
Mr Justice Davis, sitting with Lord Justice Hughes and Mr Justice Mackay, said that Dawson ran into Mr Hides on 15th September 2008, when Dawson was returning home from a night out.
Dawson was trying to overtake a car driven by a female friend, but Mr Hides, who lived in Sudbrooke near Lincoln, was coming the other way on Dunholme Road, Scothern.
The judge added that Mr Hide's moped was destroyed by the collision, and he suffered devastating injuries.
Although still alive when an ambulance arrived at the scene, he died shortly afterwards.
Mr Justice Davis said that there was no evidence Dawson was going above the 60mph speed limit, and he had not been drinking.
At Lincoln Crown Court, he said he saw Mr Hide's moped, but thought it was further away than it actually was.
The court heard that Dawson, described as a generally ‘safe’ driver, had shown genuine remorse for what had happened.
Mr Justice Davis said there was ‘considerable force’ in arguments the driving ban was too long.
