Motorist jailed and stripped of licence for killing cyclist while using Snapchat behind the wheel

A driver who killed an elderly cyclist while using his mobile phone behind the wheel has been jailed and banned from driving for several years.

Matthew Isherwood, 28, was sentenced at Preston Crown Court after admitting causing death by dangerous driving following a fatal crash in Morecambe last year.

The collision happened on Oxcliffe Road in Heaton-with-Oxcliffe on September 21, 2024, where police found James Lawley, 81, lying critically injured on the road after his racing tricycle was struck by two vehicles.

Lancashire Police revealed that despite the efforts of emergency services, the pensioner from Heysham tragically died at the scene.

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Investigators found Mr Isherwood had first hit the tricycle, causing the older man to fall into the road. Moments later, he was run over by Kevin Dawson, 64, driving a silver Mercedes C200, which failed to stop.

Roads policing officers later intercepted the Mercedes vehicle on the Bay Gateway in the area and arrested Mr Dawson.

The detailed police investigation revealed Mr Isherwood, who initially hit the pensioner, had been repeatedly using his mobile phone while driving.

According to phone data, it showed Mr Isherwood began his journey at 7.41am and crashed into the rider just four minutes later.

During that short journey, he took and sent a selfie on Snapchat, sent messages to three people on the app, viewed photos and videos on Instagram and sent an Instagram message just seconds before the collision.

Three minutes after the crash, Mr Isherwood sent another Snapchat message, stating, "I've just hit someone".

He admitted to causing death by careless driving, was jailed for five years and two months, disqualified from driving for seven years and seven months and must pass an extended driving test before getting behind the wheel again.

Mr Dawson claimed he did not realise he had hit the older man, telling police he believed he had driven over rubble in the road and therefore did not stop.

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The court handed Mr Dawson an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 20 months. He was also given a 26-week electronic curfew and banned from driving for 18 months.

Detective Sergeant Matt Davidson, from Lancashire Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said the case was another tragic example of the dangers of drivers using mobile phones.

He said: "Here I find myself leading yet another investigation into the death of a person caused by a driver using their mobile phone while driving.

"The dangers of doing so couldn't be clearer, but we still find motorists who take unnecessary and unlawful risks behind the wheel, which can, and does, lead to devastating consequences."

DS Davidson added: "While no sentence will ever be enough to make up for the loss of his life, I welcome [the fact that the drivers] have been held accountable for their actions on that tragic morning.

"My hope is that this devastating case will act as an impactful reminder of the fatal consequences of using your mobile phone whilst driving, driving dangerously and carelessly, and the lifelong impact these actions can have on all people involved."

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