A LORRY driver whose “careless and negligent act” caused the death of a young father has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Dorchester Crown Court was told the family of 26-year-old Nathan Pearce had seen their lives “destroyed” by the defendant’s actions.

Jacob Richardson, 24, was sentenced after admitting causing death by careless driving in relation to a fatal accident on the A35 in west Dorset on February 26.

Prosecutor Kerry Maylin said that Richardson was driving a Volvo curtain-sided rigid goods vehicle on the A35 and had encountered problems finding a location for a delivery.

He had arranged to meet the person at the Hunters Lodge pub at Raymonds Hill but realised he had driven past it.

Ms Maylin said Richardson then pulled into a narrow lane to the left of the road in order to then cross the dual carriageway to the central reservation before heading in the opposite direction.

She said: “He made a decision that he had enough time to cross both lanes of the dual carriageway into the central reservation refuge before turning.

“That decision proved to be fatal for Nathan Pearce because it was clear that he did not have enough time.”

Mr Pearce, who was riding a motorcycle, collided with the lorry despite his efforts to brake and was thrown off his vehicle.

He was airlifted to hospital in Bristol and his family was contacted but by the time they arrived he had been pronounced dead.

The court was told that Mr Pearce had a young son, called Oscar, who was born just six months before the tragic collision.

John Dyer, mitigating, said it was his client’s first day driving the heavy goods vehicle on his own but Richardson did not seek to see that as an excuse and admitted there was very little that could be said to ease the pain of the victim’s family.

He said: “Nothing I can say on behalf of Mr Richardson can sound anything other than hollow.”

Mr Dyer said that Richardson has displayed genuine remorse for his actions, and added: “He still does not know why this occurred.”

Richardson, of Barley Farm Road, Exeter, was sentenced to 24 weeks in prison, suspended for two years and was disqualified from driving for two years.

Judge Peter Johnson said: “This was obviously a careless and negligent act.

“Unfortunately you will carry the lifelong burden of knowing it was your act that killed a wonderful young man.”

IN A victim impact statement read to the court, Mr Pearce’s partner Zoe said: “Not only has the driver of the lorry killed my partner, he has taken away from me the one person who I was planning on spending the rest of my life with.

“He has destroyed a family and ripped us apart and all because he decided to make a manoeuvre without taking the necessary precautions.”

She added: “The worst part for me is that Nathan never really got to know his son.

“They only way Oscar can see his dad now is to visit his graveside or look at photos.”

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She went on to describe her partner as a “truly amazing and wonderful person.”

The court also heard a statement from Mr Pearce’s father on behalf of the rest of the family, which described how they had watched him grow up to become a “fun-loving and compassionate adult”.