Drug driver and girlfriend who lied for him both jailed over death of popular biker on East Yorkshire road

Lee Smith struck Stephen Chapman, 59, on Staithes Road in Preston, Holderness, on March 2 last year as the devoted family man rode his Yamaha bike to his shift at Cranswick Foods in Hull.

Humberside Police have now described how Smith, who lived in the same village, was driving his Vauxhall Astra at a 'dangerously excessive speed' while disqualified and with drugs in his system before the 7.15am collision.

Smith also had no insurance and left the scene, leaving Mr Chapman lying in a ditch, before falsely claiming that his car had been stolen and that he did not know who was driving it.

Collision investigators unravelled his lies and he has now been jailed for seven years at Hull Crown Court.

Smith pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, attempting to pervert the course of justice and numerous counts of driving whilst disqualified and with no insurance.

His driving ban was extended to 18 years.

Smith’s girlfriend Emily Parkin, who collected him from the scene of the crash and made false statements to police, also pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice and was jailed for three months.

Sergeant Rob Mazingham of the Serious Collisions Unit said: “Stephen Chapman’s family have shown extraordinary fortitude and courage while this complicated and difficult investigation took its course.

“Nothing will ever bring Stephen back, no one will be able to comfort his family for their shattering loss.

“When Lee Smith took to the road that morning he was already disqualified from driving, not insured for the vehicle and was driving without a valid licence.

“His shocking actions that morning in getting into his car, causing a fatal collision and leaving the scene go to show a total lack of moral integrity. This was further compounded by him continuing to drive even after the fatal collision and committing further offences of disqualified driving and driving whilst unfit through drugs prior to being remanded.

“This sentencing will not bring Stephen back to his grieving family. It will however ensure that Lee Smith will serve seven years in jail. Time I hope he takes to consider his actions and to think about how his lifestyle led to the death of one man and the devastation caused to Stephen’s family and friends.

“I can only hope that anyone who ever thinks about getting behind the wheel of a car in such circumstances will think about this incident and the impact it has had on this tight-knit local community.

“Drinking or drug driving costs lives. We never apologise for stopping motorists who we think may be impaired through drink or drugs and continue to conduct targeted drink and drugs driving campaigns. We are always hoping that we can prevent this type of awful case ever coming into the lives of anyone else.

“I send my sincere condolences to Stephen’s family and friends and hope that now this legal process has finally come to an end they can begin to rebuild their lives and come to terms with Stephen’s loss.”

Speaking about the heartbreaking loss of her husband, Stephen's wife Samantha Chapman said: "It was the worst day of my life, my husband and the main man of our family was taken from us, robbed of his life by Lee Smith with the support of Emily Parkin.

"Steve was my soulmate; a loving husband, father, grandfather and uncle, we had so many plans for our future together, all taken from us because Smith and Parkin thought they were above the law.

"Smith and Parkin will serve their sentences and carry on with life; our family has a life sentence without Steve. I have been denied a future with my husband and our grandchildren robbed of the chance to make more fantastic memories with their darling granddad.

"Steve will live on in our hearts and minds for ever and we will keep his precious memories alive.

"I would like to thank Humberside Police Serious Collision Unit especially PC N-Jie and PC Binnington for all the work in bringing the case to court to get some justice for Steve and the support they have given the family over the last year."