A motorcyclist has been sentenced to 20 months in prison and disqualified from holding a licence for four years for causing a collision which resulted in the amputation of a fellow biker’s leg.
Kathryn Goff, 52, of Milton Road in Exeter, appeared at Exeter Crown Court for sentence on Friday 25 April after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
At around 5.45pm on Thursday 9 March 2023 Goff was travelling along the A3052 Sidford to Colyton road when the defendant’s Kawasaki motorcycle carried out an overtake of a RAC van which was recovering a vehicle belonging to Goff’s partner.
Goff, who was aware of the recovery, performed the manoeuvre in darkening, wet and foggy conditions.
The manoeuvre took Goff’s motorcycle onto the opposing carriageway and into the path of an oncoming Honda motorcycle.
As a result of the collision both motorcycles were extensively damaged and the RAC van suffered bodywork damage to the driver’s door.
The Honda motorcycle rider travelling in the opposite direction to Goff suffered a traumatic amputation to the leg as a result of the collision.
Helmet camera footage from Goff showed numerous breaches of the Highway Code on the day of the collision, and an extended period of poor riding in adverse conditions immediately prior to the incident.
Officer in the case, Alan Kennedy from the Serious Collisions Investigation Team, said: “Kathryn Goff’s actions on the day of the collision resulted in an injury which has changed the life of another motorcycle rider. This was a totally avoidable collision.
“Goff’s riding fell far below the standard expected of a road user and the decision to perform the overtake was made even worse by the poor weather conditions at the time.
“We hope this case will serve as a reminder that every manoeuvre can have tragic consequences.”
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