Uninsured, unlicensed lorry driver jailed for killing Josephine Gilbert 

An uninsured, unlicensed lorry driver has been jailed for killing racing cyclist Josephine Gilbert.

Josephine died from serious head injuries after she was knocked down by driver Herbert Wyatt while she was cycling in Derby in January.

Wyatt, 65, has now been jailed for three years and nine months after he admitted causing death by dangerous driving while unlicensed and uninsured, the BBC reports.  

Last week, Derby Crown Court heard that Wyatt’s lorry driving licence had been revoked in October 2019 because the DVLA had concerns about his vision and diabetes. 

During Wyatt’s sentencing, prosecutor Lisa Hardy said: “There was every opportunity for the defendant to move around her. 

“But the defendant effectively mowed down the deceased.” 

Hardy added that dashcam footage showed Josephine, from Wirksworth in Derbyshire, riding consistently in a straight line and near the kerb.  

Sentencing judge, Jonathan Bennett, said Wyatt “should have seen” Josephine, who would have been in his line of sight for 17 seconds before he hit her. 

The judge said that Wyatt had tried to deceive the DVLA and his doctor about his vision and then misled his employers by not telling them his licence had been revoked.  

Last month Wyatt, of Telford Way, Thurnby, Leicester, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, as well as causing death by driving a vehicle while uninsured and causing death by dangerous driving while unlicensed. 

Along with his prison sentence, Wyatt was also disqualified from driving for five years and four months and will have to take an extended test before he can drive again.  

The crash happened on the A52 just outside of Derby on January 2 and emergency services were called just before 2pm, but Josephine was pronounced dead at the scene. 

During her racing career, Josephine had taken part in a number of prestigious national and international events. 

In 2015 she started both the women’s edition of Ghent-Wevelgem and the Troffee Maarten Wynants in Belgium, going on to finish 29th in the women’s British TT Championships and 41st in the road race (won by Lizzie Deignan).

The following year she raced the one-day Women’s Tour de Yorkshire and finished 57th in the British Nationals road race.

She raced for the Velosure-Starley Primal Pro Cycling Team and took part in time trials across the UK, including a 19th place finish in the 2015 National Hill Climb Championships.

Josephine was also an active Strava user, posting 7,768km over 201 rides in 2019, with a total distance of 59,000km and more than 1,300 rides on the social media app.

According to Derbyshire live, just weeks before her death Josephine had revealed plans to return to competition after struggling through injury.