Six years for heroin addict in fatal hit and run

Mark Heeley, 38, was driving a seven-ton tipper lorry dangerously down a picturesque country road when its wing mirror struck the back of Derek Lyon’s head.

Heeley, who also had no insurance, was before the courts for the sixteenth time.

Doncaster Crown Court was told that Heeley, of Rossington, Doncaster, who admitted causing death by dangerous driving and driving while disqualified at a previous hearing, had been banned from driving 14 times.

Michael Slater, prosecuting, said 52-year-old Mr Lyon had been jogging in Doncaster in the afternoon of March 22 this year when he was hit on the back of the head by the wing mirror of the yellow Iveco truck.

Mr Slater said: “The impact was such that the passenger side window of the vehicle shattered as did the wing mirror.

“Mr Heeley did not stop at the time but half-an-hour later, when police recognised his vehicle and pulled him over, he said he knew he had hit something but had no idea it was a man.

“He appeared unsteady on his feet and told police he had a syringe in his sock because he was a heroin addict. A blood sample was taken but it never made it to the lab.”

He added: “His driving record is appalling and this offence was committed in disregard of previous court orders.”

The prosecutor told the court witnesses reported seeing the vehicle travelling well in excess of the 40mph speed limit shortly before the collision.

Mr Slater said: “He (Heeley) said he had been given £50 to drive the vehicle a short distance. However the man who sold the truck said it was bought by a gentleman in Essex and it’s the prosecution’s case that Heeley was taking the vehicle there.”

Judge Jacqueline Davies told Heeley: “You have shown absolutely no regard for the driving disqualifications made by the court in the past.

“Your driving record is as bad as I have seen for a very long time.

“No sentence I pass could ever bring back this gentleman to his family and it can never make up for the loss that they have experienced. I would like to pass on my deepest sympathies to them at this very sad time.”

Heeley was also given a seven-year driving ban.

Tim Savage, for Heeley, said his client had shown enormous remorse since committing the offence and offered his sincerest apologies to Mr Lyon’s family.

Mr Lyon, of Conisbrough, near Doncaster, who leaves a wife, June, was a joiner and motorbike enthusiast.

Speaking after Friday’s hearing his widow said she did not believe the sentence Heeley received would act as a deterrent.

“I really hope I’m wrong but I just can’t see him learning his lesson. It would have happened by now,” she said.

Mr Lyon had no children of his own but helped to raise Mrs Lyon’s three children from another marriage.

“I just take each day as it comes now and try to keep busy,” Mrs Lyon said.

“I still expect the door to go and on Friday nights when he used to go out with his brother I find myself looking out of the window at around half ten to see if he’s coming down the road.

“It’s really difficult to get on with life.

“I’ll always miss him. He was my best friend and my husband.”