Lawyer jailed over road accident that killed pensioner

A lawyer has been jailed for almost two years after a pensioner died following an accident on a country road.

Police said Michael Lupton, 85, died after his Ford Ka was hit by a Volvo XC40 driven by Hamish Hickey, 40, on a road near the village of Ampleforth, North Yorkshire, in July 2022.

North Yorkshire Police said Hickey had driven towards Ampleforth with his two young children in the back of the car.

He went over a blind eyebrow in the middle of the road at 6pm before colliding with Mr Lupton, who was driving uphill towards him on the left side of the rural road, police said.

Mr Lupton’s car was pushed backwards and onto the grass verge. He was airlifted to hospital, where he died on August 14, 2022 – 19 days after the crash.

A police spokesman said Hickey initially claimed he was driving at an appropriate speed, close to the left side of the road, but this was contradicted by forensic evidence.

This showed that he was driving at a speed of 100 km/h, in a 100 km/h zone, on a narrow country road over a blind crest.

Hickey, of St Hildas Walk, Ampleforth, later provided an updated statement accepting that his driving was below what would be accepted of a careful and competent driver, the spokesman said.

Police confirmed he admitted causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for 23 months at York Crown Court on Friday.

He was also disqualified from driving for two years and eleven months.

Both the defendant, who worked as a family lawyer in Middlesbrough, and Mr Lupton lived in Ampleforth.

Mr Lupton is described as an active man who was much loved by family and friends.

Major collision investigator Detective Constable Laura Cleary said: “Our thoughts are with Michael’s loved ones who remain deeply affected by his preventable death.

“Our officers see with their own eyes too much destruction on our roads.

“When driving on rural country roads, take into account the different road conditions and hazards you may encounter and adjust your speed accordingly.

“Every road fatality causes immeasurable grief and damage to the families and communities left behind.”