Van driver on cannabis killed apprentice in Bedfordshire crash

A van driver who was more than twice the limit for cannabis when he crashed and killed his teenage apprentice has been jailed for nine years.

Thomas Smith, from Kempston, Bedfordshire, died at the scene on the A421 Bedford bypass in November 2018.

Benjamin Norman, 41, a roofer from Wootton, was found guilty of causing death by careless driving.

Sentencing him at Luton Crown Court, Judge Lynn Tayton QC said Norman "habitually" drove while on cannabis.

He had been cleared of causing the death of his passenger by dangerous driving, but convicted of the lesser charge of careless driving while over the limit for cannabis.

During his trial in January, prosecutor Charles Ward-Jackson said Norman had been driving at 70mph (110km/h) when he lost control of the white VW van for 10 to 15 seconds, drifted across two lanes of a dual carriageway, and smashed into a parked lorry in a lay-by.

He sustained minor injuries and, despite other motorists trying to help Mr Smith, the teenager died.

Mr Ward-Jackson told the jury: "A lorry driver, Richard Hull, was parked on the other side of the road and crossed to speak to the defendant.

"The defendant was shocked and said something like 'what am I going to say to his parents? I can't believe I am sat here and he is gone'."

After the crash between Cardington and Great Barford at about 07:15 GMT on 1 November, Norman told police he would fail a drugs test because he had smoked the night before.

The court heard he told a police officer: "I have no idea what happened. I am pretty sure I was in the fast lane. I don't know if I fell asleep or blacked out."

At sentencing, prosecutor Peter Shaw said Norman had been in the habit of smoking cannabis while driving, despite the protests of the victim.

On an earlier occasion he had fallen asleep at the wheel and there had been a minor collision.

In mitigation, defence solicitor Alesdair King said Norman had since been diagnosed with epilepsy and had surrendered his driving licence.

"Mr Norman will live with it on his conscience. He is clear about that," he said.

Sentencing Norman to nine years in jail and banning him from driving for six and a half years, the judge told him: "You were someone who would habitually drive after consuming cannabis."

Paying tribute to her son, Mr Smith's mother said: "Tom's death drastically affected our family.

"We not only lost a family member, we have lost a best friend."

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