Norfolk driver spared jail after cyclist killed on A11

Shayne Hill had previously admitted causing the death of Cheryl Tye by careless driving after she was struck by him as she cycled along the A11 dual carriageway at Roudham, near Thetford. The A11 near Roudham(Image: Google) The 32-year-old - who was found not guilty of causing death by dangerous driving[1] after a trial earlier this summer - was found to have been "engaged with his phone" for 10 seconds prior to crashing into Mrs Tye at 9.35am on June 26, 2022.

Nicholas Bleaney, prosecuting, said there had been a "flurry of telephone activity in the immediate lead up and aftermath of the collision". Norwich Crown Court[2] heard the 54-year-old cyclist, who was taking part in an organised time trial, died after hitting the windscreen of Hill's blue Citroen Dispatch van, before being thrown into the air and landing in the road. Norwich Crown Court(Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest)

Hill, of North Walsham Road, Norwich, appeared for sentencing on Thursday, October 2 after admitting causing death by careless driving. Before he was sentenced, Mr Bleaney read out extracts of statements provided by the family of Mrs Tye's husband Christopher, who has described the "devastating" impact her death has had. Cheryl Tye(Image: Family handout)

Mr Tye, who had also been taking part in the cycling event, is "no longer able to take part in such races" following the death of his wife. He has now "come to the numbing realisation that having set off together in this race he's now on his own". Judge Anthony Bate said it had been a "very sad case indeed".

Judge Anthony Bate(Image: Newsquest) He added that events on the morning of the crash took a "very tragic turn" after Hill "failed to see" Mrs Tye on her bike and crashed into her. Judge Bate said it had been Hill's "inattention on the road ahead" that caused the fatal crash.

He said the loss of Mrs Tye, who was a "loving daughter, sister and friend to so many", has had a devastating impact on her husband and wider family. Imposing 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, Judge Bate said he had taken into account Hill's plea and gave him credit for it. Hill was also disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to do up to 15 days Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) and 300 hours unpaid work.

Michael Clare, mitigating, accepted Hill - who has no previous convictions - had "more than a momentary distraction" and said it had been a "brief but avoidable distraction". He said Hill had been "looking down at his drinks bottle or wiping messages from his [phone] screen". Shayne Hill(Image: East Anglian News Service)

The barrister said Hill had pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and "stood by what he admitted in interview" and was deserving of credit for that. He added that Hill "who has no memory of what happened" had co-operated with police after the crash and is remorseful about what has happened. Hill went on trial at the end of July, after which jurors took just over four-and-a-half hours to find him not guilty of the more serious charge.

The trial had heard Hill said to a woman who stopped to help after the crash: "I was looking for my drink. I didn't even see her. What will I get?"

Hill told police he was using his phone in a holder as a satellite navigation device and could see message notifications from a recent family barbecue flashing up. But he added that the notifications were partially obscuring his screen so he had to clear them by touching the screen to see his phone clearly Ms Tye, a former manager of Hadleigh town council in Suffolk, was a keen triathlete and cyclist and member of Plomesgate Cycling Club.

She was killed as she was taking part in a 50-mile trial event organised by the Breckland Cycling Club, which involved riding on a section of the A11 between Snetterton and Thetford. She was said to be wearing a white and yellow top with flashing lights on her front and back. The crash happened on a straight section of the road with good visibility, in fine weather conditions.

Following her death, cycling time trials were suspended on the dual carriageway pending a review into safety measures. In a tribute, former Hadleigh Town Council mayor Frank Minns said[3] she achieved some "really good" things as council manager. Mr Minns added: "She was at the council for about 15 months and she was quite a dynamic and determined person and unmistakably from Yorkshire.

"She did some really good things and her biggest public triumph was last year's Christmas in Hadleigh, which was really largely down to her organising it and it was a huge public success. "She had a close connection with this council and it owes her a great debt for what she did while she was working for Hadleigh Town Council. "We are all deeply saddened and shocked to hear about what happened to her.

"There are things that she did that will be remembered and she was a real tower of strength in helping me for things we could and couldn't do during the pandemic.

"She was a fine and honest person and I had quite a close working relationship with her and whatever I achieved I would not have managed without her support."

References

1. ^ found not guilty of causing death by dangerous driving (www.edp24.co.uk)
2. ^ Norwich Crown Court (www.edp24.co.uk)
3. ^ Hadleigh Town Council mayor Frank Minns said (eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com)