Tribute paid to 'caring son' after driver jailed

Relatives of a "deeply family-orientated" man killed in a head-on collision have paid tribute to him, after a man was jailed for causing death by driving without due care.

Richard Sunter, 39, was driving on the A65 between Ingleton and Kirkby Lonsdale on 7 October 2023 when his vehicle was struck by an HGV driven by John Robertson, 45.

Robertson, of Springbank Crescent in Glasgow, tested positive for cannabis in a roadside drug test, and was sentenced to 56 months in prison and handed a five-year driving ban at Bradford Crown Court earlier.

The victim's mother described him as "a son, a brother, an uncle, a friend, a farmer, a carer, a dreamer, and the heart of our home".

"His death has shattered us. It has changed every part of our lives. There is no part of our day that is untouched by his absence," she said.

North Yorkshire Police said the HGV Robertson was driving approached a right-hand bend with no clear view, "travelling fully in the opposing lane".

This caused it to collide head-on with Sunter's Ford Ranger pick-up, which was towing an unloaded small livestock trailer towards Cowan Bridge.

Both vehicles sustained a significant amount of damage and Sunter was pronounced dead at the scene, the force said.

Robertson was arrested and later pleaded guilty to causing death by driving without due care.

In a statement released to police, Sunter's mother described the impact of his death as an "ache in our hearts [that] never goes away".

"Richard was a kind, caring son. He was always the first to help - family, extended family, friends, anyone who needed him. He was deeply family orientated," she said.

"He lived at home and supported me, he did so many things around the house that I struggled with. Now, without him, everything feels harder, heavier, and lonelier."

Major collision investigator Det Con Richard Grey said the incident showed how "devastating serious and fatal road collisions are".

"Richard Sunter was simply going about his business and had no chance to avoid this horrific collision, but he ended up paying the ultimate price," he said.

"Our actions on the roads and shared spaces have lasting consequences, and it isn't enough to think this always happens to someone else or to ignore the risks."

Det Con Grey added that his gratitude was extended to the Sunter family for their "immense courage, dignity and patience" during the investigation.

He also thanked those who stopped at the scene to help, and who later assisted the police in their inquiries.

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