'Overtaking' death driver jailed

A driver who killed a man after overtaking four cars and a HGV on a narrow country road has been given a 38-month jail sentence.

Bradford Crown Court was told Patrick Rickard, 70, was killed instantly when Shaqil Khokhar crashed into his van on the A6068 towards Lancashire.

Khokhar, 30, of Fitzroy Road, Bradford, had earlier pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

The court heard he had overtaken a police car at 80mph before the crash.

On 9 September Khokhar was driving on the A6068 between Cowling and Colne when he accelerated his VW Golf and moved past the vehicles without checking to see if the road was clear, the court was told.

Not content with his position in front of the HGV and behind two more cars, he again overtook and crashed into an oncoming Toyota van, which Khokhar said was "invisible" to him before crashing into Mr Rickard's Peugeot van.

This investigation revealed not just one incidence of bad driving , but a catalogue of dangerous manoeuvres Sgt Les Moorhouse

The court was told Mr Rickard, of Leyland, Lancashire, was about to become a great grandfather.

Prosecutor Andrew Kershaw said 16 hours before the crash, Khokhar had overtaken a police car at high speed on the M65.

In a separate incident, he was also caught on camera speeding through a red light in Nottingham at 59mph.

Family's distress

Ray Singh, defending, told the court Khokhar was in hospital for a week after the crash and had suffered post-traumatic stress.

Judge Roger Scott acknowledged Mr Rickard's family who were in court in tears.

He told Khokhar: "You are full of remorse for yourself and have some for the victim's family.

"But I have no doubt that you will come out of prison in 19 months time and resurrect your business again and life will be the same as it was.

"For those that sit in the jury box, life will never be the same again."

Traffic Sgt Les Moorhouse, from North Yorkshire Police, said: "This investigation revealed not just one incidence of bad driving, but a catalogue of dangerous manoeuvres throughout his journey from Bradford towards Lancashire.

"A journey which culminated in a head-on collision and the tragic loss of life of an innocent motorist."

Khokhar was also disqualified from driving for four years.