Motorcyclist died after Land Rover failed to stop on A10

Paul Leake, 50, suffered serious injuries when the driver of a Land Rover pulled out into his path from a crossroads at Tottenhill, near King's Lynn, on December 13, 2021.

Motorcyclist Paul Leake died following a crash while travelling to work as a postman in King's Lynn along the A10 (Image: Google)

The postman, who had been on his way to work, died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital three days later. 

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Darren Godfrey, 45, of Wiggenhall St Germans, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. 

Norwich Crown Court was told he claimed not to have seen the motorcycle before attempting to cross the A10 between Watlington Road and Whin Common Road.

Will Carter, prosecuting, said analysis of data from his Land Rover had shown he had slowed but not fully stopped at the junction. 

Darren Godfrey leaving Norwich Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

Police crash investigations found he would have had nine seconds to see the biker which was “ample time to react”, he added.

In a statement Mr Leake’s fiancée described him as a “bubbly character with a good sense of humour and easy to get on with”.

“He made me feel loved, safe and protected. I thought our future was mapped out but it has all gone. A big piece of my life is missing,” she said.

Godfrey broke down in tears in the dock when a statement read out from Mr Leake’s daughter said: “I forgive you. It was an accident”.

John Lyons, mitigating, said: “He has never disputed the facts. He is genuinely distraught by what he has done."

Land Rover driver Darren Godfrey failed to stop at a crossroads at Tottenhill (Image: Google)

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The court was told Mr Leake had initially been expected to survive his injuries but that his condition had unexpectedly worsened.

A subsequent hospital investigation had found significant failings in his care.

Sentencing Godfrey to 240 hours unpaid work as part of a 12-month community order, Judge Anthony Bate said his actions had been “more than a momentary lapse in concentration”.

He told him: “If you had stopped at the junction you would have had significant time in my judgement to see Mr Leake. You did not give yourself that time.”