Woman sentenced to six years in prison for causing death of motorcyclist

Danielle Barrett, 28, was sentenced following a trial into a charge of causing death by dangerous driving following a two-vehicle collision on the B1192 near Coningsby in July 2023.  

Barrett was travelling south on the B1192 towards Boston about 8.25am on 21 July 2023 when the Vauxhall Corsa she was driving overtook a crop sprayer as she approached a left-hand bend, colliding head-on with an oncoming Ducati motorbike.  Sadly, the rider of the motorcycle, Jeffrey Scott, 66, died at the scene.

Barrett, of Steadman Court, Horncastle, was today sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court to six years imprisonment, having been previously found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving following a trial. She was also banned from driving for a total of seven years and six months and must take an extended re-test before being allowed to drive again.

Following an extensive investigation by our Serious and Forensic Collision Investigation Units Barrett was charged with the one offence that she was sentenced for at court today.  Technical examinations of the vehicles found no issues that were contributory in the collision. 

It was established during the investigation that Barrett had crossed into the oncoming carriageway as the motorbike was coming round the bend in the opposite direction, leaving Mr Scott no time to react.  Barrett collided head on with Mr Scott’s oncoming motorcycle who was thrown from the bike, hitting her windscreen and then landing in a ditch at the side of the road sustaining fatal injuries.

In interview, Barrett stated she knew the road, and that she was just having a look for an opportunity to overtake the crop sprayer, denying that she was overtaking at that point.  CCTV footage that was obtained from a nearby property showed that she had entered the opposing side of the road, moments before the collision occurred.  The investigation also established that at the position she carried out the manoeuvre, she did not have a view of the road ahead. 

Detective Sergeant James Perring, from our Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “This collision was solely due to the dangerous driving of Barrett when she moved into the opposing carriageway when she did not have a view of the road ahead.  Despite her comments in interview, the position of her vehicle, as caught by the CCTV, clearly demonstrated that she was commencing an overtaking manoeuvre.

“Whilst we may get frustrated at having to travel behind slower moving vehicles, her impatience led to a dangerous manoeuvre that has cost Mr Scott his life.  Just waiting a few seconds more to clear the bend would have provided a view of the road ahead and prevented this unnecessary heartache.” 

Danielle Barrett, 28 (Photo: Lincolnshire Police)