Driver ‘got it woefully wrong’ in tragic crash that killed Humberside Police detective

He drove straight into the path of her motorcycle at a junction near Hedon, a court heard

Mark Naylor Humber Court Reporter 05:00, 23 Jun 2026

Laurence Green pictured outside Hull Crown Court(Image: Hull Live)

A pensioner made a "tragic miscalculation" at a road junction and caused the death of popular Humberside Police[1] detective Karen Smith after his car was involved in a horrific collision with her motorcycle. The 49-year-old detective was travelling home from work when ex-bus driver Laurence Green pulled out from a junction directly into her path, giving her no chance of avoiding a collision.

He thought that he would have enough time to turn right at the junction but he "got it woefully wrong" and there were "awful consequences" because of that, a court heard.

Green, 72, of Littleham Close, Bransholme[2], Hull, admitted causing the death of Detective Constable Karen Smith by careless driving on December 18, 2024.

Jeremy Evans, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that Green was driving a Honda Insight car on the A1033 during the hours of darkness at about 5.05pm. He had picked up an 84-year-old woman, his long-term partner, from Thorngumbald, Holderness[3], at about 5pm.

Det Con Smith was riding her blue Yamaha motorcycle home after finishing her police work with the major crime team at Melton. Green turned right at a junction of the A1033 with the B1240 at Thorn Road, Hedon, at about 5.06pm.

He drove straight into the path of the oncoming motorcycle because there was not enough time to complete the right-hand turn.

There was a "loud bang" as the motorcycle hit the front of the car.

Green would have had about 268 metres - the equivalent of 10 seconds - to see the headlight of the motorcycle approaching. His passenger had seen the motorcycle and she told him: "Laurence - there is a bike."

Det Con Smith suffered "serious, unsurvivable injuries". She was thrown from the motorcycle and died at the scene.

She was an experienced motorcyclist and she had been married for 23 years, with two children.

"The defendant failed to give way to the approaching motorcycle and turned into its path," said Mr Evans. "He was apologetic about the whole incident."

Green said at the scene: "I didn't see them. They came out of nowhere. I wasn't going fast.

I am so sorry."

Glenn Parsons, mitigating, said that Green felt heartfelt sorrow for what happened. "He sends out deep remorse to the family, friends and colleagues of Karen Smith," said Mr Parsons.

"Never in his wildest nightmares would he imagine that he would be in court, let alone in a case where someone has lost their life. He does not intend ever to drive again.

"He hasn't sought to spin this out and make excuses and he hopes that this will assist the family to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives and move on. He only wishes that he could turn back the clock but, sadly, life doesn't work like this.

"He has replayed this incident thousands of times in his mind since that fatal day in December 2024." Green had previously worked as a bus driver, an HGV driver and a taxi driver.

He had no previous convictions and he had a "wholly unblemished" clean driving licence. "He ordinarily takes his responsibilities as a driver very, very seriously indeed," said Mr Parsons.

"On the night in question, he made a terrible error of judgement and what he is saying is that he did see what turned out to be a motorcycle but he thought it was a lot further away than it actually was.

This manoeuvre wasn't safe.

"He has not tried to minimise at all what has happened. He will never drive again. He vows never to drive again.

"He will never forget that night.

Karen Smith has been at the very forefront of his mind since that day in December 2024."

Judge Gurdial Singh told the court: "He thought he could get across and made a tragic miscalculation, which had awful consequences. He has calculated what he thought he could do and got it woefully wrong.

"This is an incredibly sad case, involving, as it does, the tragic loss of a life. The consequences of that carelessness could not have been more devastating, resulting in the death of Karen Smith."

Judge Singh told Green: "The cause of this tragic collision was your turning across a motorbike, which had the right of way.

You made a tragic miscalculation and allowed insufficient time to complete the manoeuvre, causing the collision.

"It was entirely your fault. This was not an intentional act on your part. I do accept that your remorse is entirely genuine.

"You have accepted full responsibility from first to last." Det Con Smith was "deeply respected" and her death had brought "utter devastation" to her family.

Green was given a one-year suspended prison sentence and he was banned from driving for two years.

At the time of the incident, Humberside Police Federation said: "Karen was a well-liked and popular colleague and was recognised by all who knew and worked with her as being tremendously hard working and dedicated.

She showed an incredible level of compassion for victims of crime and tirelessly pursued justice for them.

"These attributes made her stand out as a truly outstanding detective.

She had, for 16 years, worked tirelessly for the communities of Humberside, both as an investigating officer, police community support officer and then, from 2015, as an officer.

"She had the respect of all those who worked with her." The news of her death was "truly devastating" and she was "much-loved".

Did you know you can make Hull Live a preferred source of Hull news in Google, which will mean you get more of our breaking news, exclusives, and must-read stories straight away? Here's more information[4] about what this means and how to do it - you can also do it straight away by clicking here[5].

References

1. ^ Humberside Police (www.hulldailymail.co.uk)
2. ^ Bransholme (www.hulldailymail.co.uk)
3. ^ Holderness (www.hulldailymail.co.uk)
4. ^ Here's more information (www.hulldailymail.co.uk)
5. ^ clicking here (www.google.com)