Drug-driver jailed after killing farmer in A65 head-on crash

On October 7, 2023, shortly after 7am, a crash occurred between two vehicles A65 between Ingleton and Kirkby Lonsdale.

An Iveco heavy goods vehicle (HGV) driven by John Robertson, 45 from Glasgow, was travelling southeast, when it collided with a Ford Ranger pick-up towing an unloaded small livestock trailer that was heading towards Cowan Bridge.

This vehicle was driven by local farmer Richard Sunter, aged 39.

As the HGV approached a right-hand bend, with no clear view, it was travelling fully in the opposing lane, causing it to collide head on with Richard in his vehicle, the court heard.

Both vehicles had sustained a significant amount of damage and, following significant injuries from the collision, Richard Sunter was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers immediately attended and conducted a drugs test on Robertson, who tested positive for cannabis at the roadside.

He was arrested and taken into custody.

On Tuesday (Mar 17), Robertson was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court to four years and eight months in prison, after pleading guilty to the offence.

He was also disqualified from driving for five years and will not be able to obtain his licence back until he has passed an extended driving test.

Richard’s mother reflected on Richard and the impact of losing him in a statement, via North Yorkshire Police: "When Richard died suddenly, our lives changed in the most unimaginable way. In one moment, everything we knew, everything we relied on, everything that made our family whole, was taken from us. Since the knock on the door, we have lived in a world that no longer makes sense. We don’t know who we are anymore or how to fit into a life that no longer has him in it.

“The ache in our hearts never goes away. It is there when we wake up, when we try to sleep, when we sit at the table and see one less place, and when we try to carry on with the day to day things that used to feel normal.

“Our emotions change constantly. Some days we are numb. Other days we are overwhelmed with anger, disbelief, trauma, anxiety, and sadness. These feelings take turns, hitting us at different times and in different ways.

“Richard was a kind, caring son. He loved a laugh and a joke, just like the rest of us. He was always the first to help - family, extended family, friends, anyone who needed him. He was deeply family orientated.

“He lived at home and supported me, he did so many things around the house that I struggled with. Now, without him, everything feels harder, heavier, and lonelier

“Richard was passionate about farming. He loved driving the wagon, especially when he was picking up or dropping off at farms.

“He often came home with livestock he couldn’t resist buying. Wagon driving came naturally to him, and he took pride in being responsible enough to drive heavy vehicles and move livestock safely. He talked to us constantly about his ambitions and his future. That future has been stolen from him and from us.

“Richard’s dad has been hit incredibly hard. We now have all the livestock, the haytime, the lambing, the dipping and dosing - all the work that Richard carried with such pride, skill, and joy.

“These were the things that made him who he was. His dad has had to give up his long-distance wagon work, something he has done his whole life, because he now has to stay home to look after Richard’s animals. Every job he does on that farm is a reminder of the son who should still be here doing it.

“The list of things Richard did for us is endless. The farm, and the memories tied to every corner of it, are all we have left of him now.

“Richard’s sister has also been deeply affected. She has suffered mentally and emotionally, but her biggest worry is her children - Richard’s niece and nephew. Richard was a father figure to his niece in particular.

“He taught her how to farm, how to work with animals, how to drive a tractor, and he helped her with her maths. They were inseparable, especially during lambing time when she stayed at the farm for weeks. He helped her through her teenage years and gave her a secure space to open up if she needed it.

“Both children have been left with emotional wounds that will affect them for the rest of their lives.

“Even Richard’s faithful sheepdog has suffered. She sits for hours waiting for him to come home. She doesn’t understand why he isn’t walking through the door.

“We took her to the family farm where Richard spent so much time, and she ran around looking for him, desperate to find him. Her anxiety is heartbreaking. She has lost her person, and there is no way to explain to her that he is never coming back.

“Richard was the rock of our family. He was a son, a brother, an uncle, a friend, a farmer, a carer, a dreamer, and the heart of our home. His death has shattered us. It has changed every part of our lives. There is no part of our day that is untouched by his absence.

“As time passes, there is a preconception from society that it becomes easier, but it doesn’t! We will carry this pain forever. We will never be the same again."