Van driver who caused death of Bradford biker is jailed

Seventy-six-year-old John Stanley's family has now issued an impassioned plea urging people not to use their mobile phone behind the wheel. 

John - who was described as "one in a million" by his loved ones - was riding his classic Honda motorbike along the M6 southbound, between junctions 42 and 41 in Cumbria, when the collision happened.

Off-duty paramedic Jesse Rees, 27, has today been sentenced after he pleaded guilty to causing John's death by dangerous driving.

Jesse Rees (Image: Cumbria Police)

Rees - who admitted the charge at an earlier hearing - was given 40 months in prison.

He was also sentenced to a six-year driving ban and must sit an extended re-test before being able to drive again.

What the court heard

Carlisle Crown Court heard how Rees was driving a Peugeot Bipper van which collided with John's motorbike at around 8.10pm on April 23, 2023,

John was taken to hospital but died the following day.

Witnesses described seeing the van close up to the rear of the motorbike prior to the collision before it hit the motorcycle from behind, sending the bike and John crashing to the road.

Investigations showed that Rees' phone had been accessed a couple of minutes before the collision occurred.

During this time, numerous apps were closed or opened and closed.

This, alongside no physical evidence at the scene to indicate pre-impact braking, led a forensic collision investigator for Cumbria Constabulary to conclude that Rees had been distracted by his phone, which resulted in no chance to react to the situation in front of him on the road.

'The grief we feel is beyond words'

After Rees was jailed, John's family issued a heartfelt tribute to him - and issued their important warning to road users. 

The family said: "Today, justice was served as the young man responsible for the tragic death of our beloved dad was convicted for death by dangerous driving.

"His decision to use his mobile phone while driving caused the collision that tragically resulted in the loss of our dad.

"This conviction marks the end of a long and painful chapter for our family.

"Our dad was truly one in a million, who lived life to the full.

"He was taken from us far too soon and the grief we feel is beyond words.

"He was a loving husband, father, brother, grandad and friend to all, whose presence brightened the lives of everyone who knew him.

"His sudden and senseless death has left a void that can never be filled.

"As a family, we are glad that this criminal process is finally behind us, allowing us to begin to heal from this tragic loss.

"The court's decision reaffirms what we have always known: our dad was not at fault.

"While no sentence can ever bring him back, we hope this conviction serves as a stark reminder of the importance of not using a mobile phone while driving and helps prevent other families from enduring the heartache we are experiencing.

"We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to Cumbria Constabulary and everyone who supported us throughout this very difficult time.

"Our focus now is on remembering and honouring our dad's incredible life and legacy."

'No excuse for allowing yourself to become distracted at the wheel'

In his police interview, Rees, of of Brougham Street, Penrith, accepted he had accessed his phone to check the time but said it then fell into the footwell.

He had feared it would go under his pedals.

He added: "I looked down to see where it was and when I looked up the motorbike was on me. 

"I slammed on my brakes and made a collision with the bike."

When asked about accessing apps on the phone, he said he couldn't recall having done that and suggested it may have happened accidentally while trying to pick up his phone from the footwell.

However, this hypothesis - accidentally opening and closing different apps - was disputed by investigators who found at least nine separate actions were required by Rees to account for what occurred with the phone.

In a later interview, he was further challenged on his account, including whether he had been distracted by his phone and why he did not brake up until the point of impact but he replied "no comment" to those questions.

Detective Sergeant Deborah Story, of Cumbria Constabulary's serious collision investigation unit, said: "This was a terrible but entirely avoidable tragedy which resulted in an entirely innocent and blameless motorcyclist losing his life.

"There is no excuse for allowing yourself to become distracted at the wheel, to the point of taking your eyes of the road.

"All drivers should take steps to prevent themselves becoming distracted by their mobile phone.

"A simple solution is to hand your phone to a passenger whenever you get behind the wheel or, if driving along, place your phone in the glove box so it is out of sight and out of mind."