HGV driver jailed for causing death by careless driving

An HGV driver who collided with a motorist on the M6 while changing lanes, resulting in her death, has been jailed for 34 weeks.

Robert Ward (pictured) initially denied being responsible for Victoria Kavanagh’s death following the collision on 27 July 2020, but he later changed his plea to guilty to causing death by careless driving.

The lorry driver was changing lanes at junction 10 of the motorway when his vehicle struck the Citroen C1.

Police said the 56-year-old failed to give himself sufficient view to move safely across lanes and Kavanagh, 41, suffered critical injuries, later being pronounced dead at the scene.

At Wolverhampton Crown Court on 16 December, Ward was jailed for 34 weeks as well as being banned from driving for 16 months and one week to start upon his release.

Speaking after his sentencing, DC Damian Gibson from the serious collision investigation unit, said: “Ms Kavanagh’s family have shown a great degree of patience and dignity having to wait for this case to come to its conclusion.”