Driver, 86, spared jail for A143 Haddiscoe fatal crash

Kenneth Newton, 86, was at the wheel of the Vauxhall Aguila when it collided with a Scania HGV on the A143 in Haddiscoe. Front seat passenger June Gafney, 84, sustained life-threatening injuries in the crash and died the following day at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Newton, of Rowan Drive in Brandon, was sentenced to eight months imprisonment suspended for 18 months after admitting causing death by careless driving.

Kenneth Newton admitted causing death by careless driving (Image: Newsquest) Norwich Magistrates' Court[1] was told he had bought an automatic car the week before the crash and may have become confused by the controls after previously only having driven manual cars. Another motorist following the pensioner said he had been driving at an "inconsistent" speed, "yo-yoing between my car and the lorry".

The crash on June 19 last year happened on the Beccles Road as the empty flatbed truck slowed to 14mph as it prepared to turn off onto the B1136 Loddon Road. Jane Gafney died following a crash between a car and lorry on the A143 Beccles Road in June 2024 (Image: Newsquest) Sentencing him, District Judge Matthew Bone said: "It is clear that you were struggling to drive your new car safely yet you continued to drive.

"A witness expressed how they were concerned about the manner of your driving in terms of repeatedly slowing and speeding up prior to the collision." Newton, who appeared in court using a walking frame, had 40 years driving without points or incidents, the court was told. The crash happened as a lorry slowed to turn off the A143 on to the B1136 Loddon Road (Image: Google)

District Judge Bone disqualified him from driving for three years but was told he had already voluntarily surrendered his driving licence immediately after the collision. David Foulkes, mitigating, said: "He plans to never get behind the wheel again ever." He added: "We know something went very wrong.

Mr Newton cannot assist with that.

He is not trying to be difficult but there is clearly some trauma that prevents him recalling.

"For some reason he failed to observe that the vehicle in front had slowed and he has not been able to stop in time."

References

1. ^ Norwich Magistrates' Court (www.edp24.co.uk)
2. ^ Driver, 86, did not brake before A143 Haddiscoe fatal crash (www.edp24.co.uk)
3. ^ Investigation continues into A143 Beccles Road lorry crash (www.edp24.co.uk)