A Swindon man who struck and killed a pedestrian while riding a dangerously maintained motorbike at nearly double the speed limit has been sentenced to more than eight years behind bars.
Darren Roberts, 22, of Redhouse Way, was travelling along Drakes Way on 31st January 2022 when he sped through a red light on a Yamaha XJ600 and hit 38-year-old Neil Sharp, who was crossing the road at the time. Mr Sharp was tragically pronounced dead at the scene.
A police investigation revealed that Roberts’ motorbike was in a dangerously unroadworthy condition, with severely worn and underinflated tyres. He had neither a valid licence nor insurance, and he was found to be carrying Class A drugs when arrested at the scene.
Appearing before Swindon Crown Court on 6th May, Roberts pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. He was sentenced to six years and eight months for the fatal crash, with an additional 18 months added for possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, bringing the total term to eight years and four months. A further two-month sentence for common assault is to run concurrently.
PC Charlotte Sartin, who led the investigation, said: “Roberts has shown no remorse for his actions and, instead of accepting responsibility, tried to shift the blame onto Neil. Today’s sentence brings a degree of justice, but the pain felt by Neil’s family will never go away.
“We remain committed to tackling what we refer to as the ‘Fatal Five’ – the key driving offences that cause the most harm: speeding, impaired driving, mobile phone use, not wearing seatbelts, and dangerous driving.”
