Jail for driver who killed sports star then fled to Poland

Lukasz Banasik, then 23, had no driving licence or insurance when he crashed into Bradford-born Olympic standard sportsman Gavin Hustler-Brown in Southampton.

Farm labourer Banasik, was driving with passenger Rafal Potiopa at between 45 and 50mph in a Vauxhall Astra along 30-mph Bevois Valley Road when Mr Hustler-Brown crossed the carriageway on April 28 2007.

He admitted causing death by dangerous driving at an earlier hearing.

Banasik had already been told by Mr Potiopa he was driving too fast but ignored his friend's warning as the car entered the road full of pub goers in the early hours.

James Kellam, prosecuting, told Southampton Crown Court: "Mr Banasik was driving too fast and he reacted too late as Mr Hustler-Brown crossed the road.

"When he did react he braked hard enough for all four wheels to lock ten metres from Mr Hustler-Brown.

"Mr Banasik's car struck Mr Hustler-Brown hard enough to throw him up in the air and send him falling down the road.

"He suffered extensive head injuries, probably caused by the car's windscreen. He would have become instantly unconscious. His injuries were not survivable.

Mr Kellam went on: "Mr Banasik did not stop at the scene of the accident. Or if he did stop at all, it was for only an instant, for he accelerated off hard enough to spin his wheels. He drove through at least one red traffic light before the abandoning the car 780 metres away."

The court heard that two days later, Banasik took a coach back to Poland and an international arrest warrant was issued. He handed himself into Polish police in July 2009 and was later extradited back to Britain.

Mr Hustler-Brown was a first year criminology student at university in Southampton and was originally from Bradford.

He was described in court by Mr Kellam as "an elite athlete with the very real prospect of making the diving team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics".

He had been a synchronised diver who had partnered fellow British Olympic diver Blake Aldridge.

Mr Kellam explained he had been out that night in the area that was popular with students and was probably eating a kebab and talking on his phone when he was struck.

But the collision was nothing to do with any of his actions as he crossed the road, the court heard.

Despite emergency treatment, doctors could not save him and he died later in hospital.

Part of a witness impact statement by Mr Hustler-Brown's mother Christine Brown was read out in court and she called Banasik "cowardly".

"More than 500 people were at Gavin's funeral in Yorkshire, not everyone could fit in the church," it read.

"Gavin had everything to live for. He was a beautiful boy, a son, a grandson, nephew, cousin, friend. He had his career, his diving ahead of him and he had an infectious laugh and a fun spirit.

"He had a life, he had a future but Mr Banasik took that future away from him and from us. He left Gavin dead. What he did was cowardly."

Banasik also pleaded guilty to failing to stop after an accident, failing to report an accident, driving without insurance and driving without a licence.

In mitigation Andy Houston said Banasik, who has a fiancee, had led a "pseudo life" in the years since the crime.

"He knew he was wanted in this country. (He was) struggling to sleep and cope with the enormity of what he had done," he told the court.

Mr Houston said he accepted he was a coward that night and was ashamed.

The hearing was also told the M-registration car had been bought by Banasik and three friends for 100 and was in good mechanical condition.

Sentencing the now 26-year-old, Judge Derwin Hope told him buying the car and driving without a licence and insurance was a "dreadful piece of irresponsibility on your part that has led tragically to the death of a person".

"You should not have purchased and driven that vehicle at any stage.

"By seeking to evade justice for over two years you have substantially prolonged the agony that the family and friends had to go through.

"While you show remorse now you did not show remorse at the time of the offence," he told Banasik.

The judge did not impose a further punishment for other driving offences but told Banasik if he ever had a licence in Britain, he would be disqualified for five years.

Outside court, Mrs Brown said she was happy with the sentence and added the judge had been fair.