'Late for work' Range Rover driver jailed for four and a half years after killing cyclist
George Hacker drove his vehicle on the wrong side of the road, colliding with cyclist Simon Worthington
A driver who was over an hour and a half late for work after a night out has been jailed for four and a half years for killing a cyclist in Warwickshire on February 20, 2016.
Cyclist Simon Worthington, 35, was fatally injured after George Hacker, 26, collided with him in his Range Rover Evoque on the B4452 road near Harbury.
The prosecutor said that Hacker had been out drinking the night before and ended the evening with a line of cocaine and whisky at home, reports the Stratford Observer.
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Hacker was engaged in a hands-free phone conversation with a friend at the time of the incident and was apparently distracted by the sight of a vehicle in a field that had appeared to have crashed earlier.
Hacker's Range Rover drifted to the wrong side of the road, hitting Worthington, who was travelling on the opposite direction. A witness told the court that Hacker continued to drive for '70 to 80 yards' before stopping.
Hacker pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at Coventry Crown Court and was sentenced to a four-and-a-half-year jail term. He was also banned from driving for six years and three months, and handed a three-month sentence for possessing cocaine, which was found in his possession when he was arrested.
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Worthington, from Leamington Spa, leaves a wife and two children. Worthington's wife was pregnant with their second child at the time of his death.
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Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.
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