A man has been jailed today (21 Oct) following his admission of causing death by dangerous driving.
Noel Collins, 35, of Sheernest, Holme, Carnforth admitted the offence at Carlisle Crown Court and was sentenced to 67 months in prison.
Noel Collins
At 12:26am, on 1 July 2024, Cumbria Police were called to a road traffic collision on the A595 between Mealsgate and Bothel. The collision involved Collins’ Toyota RAV and a Honda Civic driven by Mr George Jackson - a 75 year old local man who had just finished work as a delivery driver and was returning to the takeaway to provide a lift to a colleague.
Mr Jackson was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision.
At the scene, Collins denied being the driver of his Toyota, but he had been seen by witnesses at the driver's door, immediately after the crash. Collins provided negative results for alcohol and drugs, but his behaviour was described as erratic, and he was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
Noel Collins was charged with the offence of causing death by dangerous driving on 2nd July 2024.
The police investigation found that on the evening of 30 June 2024, Collins was driving south on the M6 motorway when he crashed his work's vehicle. No other person or vehicle was involved in the collision and Collins was found with his vehicle in a field, uninjured.
Collins claimed a mechanical issue caused his vehicle to leave the carriageway. He provided negative results for alcohol and drugs, and Police officers took him to Carlisle train station so he could continue his journey home. Having arrived home he collected another vehicle, a Toyota RAV 4, which he then drove, leading to the fatal collision.
The investigation also received evidence that prior to the crash on the M6 motorway, Collins had driven the wrong way down a service station slip road, then performed a U-turn on the M6 motorway.
In the week before the fatal collision, Collins sought medical attention on three occasions at different hospitals, last attending hospital on 30 June 2024. During one visit a doctor had advised him not to drive. His partner also queried if he was driving, yet he continued to do so.
Collins was found to have a long history of issues concerning his health, and his ability to drive. The investigation uncovered that Collins had been misusing prescription medication of Methylphenidate, taking double the allowed dosage, which he sought from two separate private doctors. On one occasion Collins made a false report to police of having his prescription medicine stolen from his vehicle but CCTV footage reflected no theft having occurred. The same day Collins reported the loss of his prescription to a private doctor and received another prescription.
He was found to have been previously diagnosed with epilepsy but failed to engage with the treatment that was advised and failed to inform the relevant driving authorities.
The investigation also showed that he'd crashed a vehicle in Northern Ireland in April 2024, then again failed to disclose medical information about himself to the driving authorities when requested to do so, also failing to disclose his medical history to private doctors that he spoke to during his efforts to ensure his licence was not revoked.
Expert evidence showed how on 1 July 2024, Collins was likely to have suffered an epileptic seizure.
Detective Sergeant Deborah Story said: "Collins’ behaviour over many years was completely self-serving, with a total disregard for anyone else. His only consideration was what suited him
“He ignored medical professionals; he disregarded his diagnosis and thought he knew better. He lied to medical professionals and he hid information from them - all so he could continue to drive.
“For more than two years Collins refused to accept that his decisions caused Mr Jackson's death, which has caused incredible distress to Mr Jackson's family.
"Cumbria Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) would like to pass their sincere gratitude to Mr Jackson's family, and commend them on the courage they have shown, and to the witnesses who provided information. Many people were spoken to, and their contribution has been invaluable in ensuring Mr Jackson's family knew what happened.
“This is a case which highlights the serious issues that can be caused when a driver misuses drugs and fails to act responsibly following concerns about their health and ability to drive. It also demonstrates the importance of alerting the driving authorities of such matters, which allows proper scrutiny of their own safety when driving, and that of other road users.
“The investigation showed that Collins went out of his way not to inform relevant people and authorities of his medical issues, and drug misuse.
“That neglect led to the tragic death of Mr Jackson."