The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A disqualified driver who fled the scene after causing the death of a 20-year-old motorcyclist was today (Friday) jailed for eight years and three months.
Shane Kelk, 28, left Amy Cooper lying in the road after ringing up his girlfriend and asking her to pick him up, Lincoln Crown Court heard.
Kelk, of no fixed address, admitted a string of driving offences including causing the death of Amy Cooper by dangerous driving in Holbeach St John’s on November 13 last year.
Amy, of Whaplode Drove, died from multiple pelvic and abdominal injuries after a collision between the grey BMW 3 series estate being driven by Kelk and her green Kawasaki motorcycle.
She was riding home from a friends on the B1168 New River Gate at Holbeach St Johns just before 5pm when Kelk pulled out to overtake another car and struck her motorcycle.
Jeremy Janes, prosecuting, said the other motorist described how Kelk had been constantly looking to overtake him in foggy conditions which had reduced visibility to between 50 and 100 metres and required dipped lights.
Mr Janes said the other driver became aware of Amy’s motorcycle travelling in the opposite direction and then heard a “loud bang,” and saw debris from the bike.
“It is obvious the defendant was inpatient, looking for an overtake, it was never on,” Mr Janes added. “It was a flagrant disregard for the rules of the road.”
At the scene Kelk was overheard speaking on his phone saying: “I’ve just hit something, I think it’s a motorcycle.”
Another farmer who came to the scene and tried to help Amy, heard Kelk say: “You’ve got to come down here, I’ve hit a motorcyclist.”
Mr Janes said that phone call was to his girlfriend who came with her mother to pick Kelk up after he ran off to a nearby farm.
“He would say he went up to where Amy was, touched her shoulder, and heard her murmur.”
The court heard Kelk was taken to a house in Holbeach and then fled to an address in Peterborough where he was caught by police after again trying to escape by scaling a wall.
Amy was taken to Peterborough District Hospital but died the morning after the collision.
Her mother, Amanda, her elder sister, Samantha, and her elder brother, Edward, all read out their moving victim impact statements in court.
Amanda said she was haunted by flashbacks and described her daughter, the youngest of her four children, as kind, happy and independent.
“She had her whole life ahead of her and didn’t deserve it to be cut short like this,” Amanda added.
“I’m grieving for my children, and grandchildren. It hurts so much to see their despair.”
Amanda said she found it “inconceivable” that Kelk left the scene leaving her daughter behind.
Samantha said: “Every morning I wake up and all I think is my sister’s gone.”
She also described the pain of telling her own chilld about the death of their aunty.
Edward described how he had been unable to work since his sister’s death and found it particularly hard to drive at night.
“Behind every motorcycle helmet I see Amy’s face,” he said.
Edward added: “My youngest sister’s life ended on a dark, cold, foggy road in the middle of nowhere.”
At the time of the collision Kelk was still on licence following a jail sentence of six years and nine months imprisonment passed in 2017 for his involvement at an armed incident in Long Sutton.
He also admitted being disqualified from driving on the day of the collision, being disqualified when he caused Amy’s death, having no insurance, failing to provide his details at the scene and possessing a small amount of cannabis on his arrest.
In total Kelk had 22 previous convictions for 52 offences, the court heard. They included other convictions for driving with excess alcohol and while banned.
Kelk made no comment in his first two police interviews, but in his third interview admitted being the driver of the BMW.
Chris Jeyes, mitigating, said it was Kelk who found Amy first, but admitted he did not use his own phone to ring for help.
“In the cold light of day he realises he should have stayed there,” Mr Jeyes added. “The relatives who picked him up noticed he was crying.”
Mr Jeyes said Kelk had spent the day of the collision brick laying with his father.
“He was trying to turn his life around, to go on the straight and narrow,” Mr Jeyes told the court.
Mr Jeyes added it did not appear that Kelk had fully gone into the opposite carriageway as he had not yet passed the other car.
In a letter which Mr Jeyes read out, Kelk said he was sorry, but admitted it didn’t mean much to Miss Cooper’s family, and that a lot of people now hated him.
Passing sentence Judge Simon Hirst told Kelk he had been inpatient to get home in poor driving conditions, and should have rung 999 himself.
“You found Amy and you heard her murmur,”Judge Hirst said.
“What you didn’t do was stay with Amy. What you didn’t do was to ring 999 to seek assistance.
“What you did do was everything you could to save your own skin.”
The Judge added: “You callously left Amy dying on the road.”
Judge Hirst said it was clear that what happened has “devastated” Amy’s family, but added no sentence could put a value on her life.
Kelk was also banned from driving for eight and half years, and must take an extended driving test.
Amy’s family paid tribute to her and are looking to raise awareness of motorbike safety.
Lincolnshire Police said Kelk was subject to licence conditions, having been released from prison in July 2020, for offences including possession of a firearm with intent to cause the fear of violence. He has been remanded in prison up until his sentence today.
A spokesman said: “Extensive and fast moving inquiries by several departments across two police force areas, led police to an address in Peterborough. Early the next morning they found Kelk at the address, where he was arrested for several offences.”
Sergeant Adam Doona, Serious Collision Investigation Unit, Lincoln, said: “Our thoughts are very much with the family of Amy today.
“Kelk should never have been driving on the day of the collision, he was disqualified and drove with no regard for the safety of other road users.
“To flee from the scene and the devastation that he had caused, as he did, is such an act of cowardice.
“I would like to pass my thanks onto everyone who helped to locate him, and to the investigation team for their hard work, in making sure we put this man before the courts.”
