Careless driver pleads guilty to killing motorcyclist in Smethwick

Craig Watts' car hit grandfather-of-10 Daniel Bray in December last year.

Cinema worker Watts, aged 22, of Whitecrest, Great Barr, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving at a previous hearing and was yesterday sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

Mrs Sati Rukh, prosecuting, told the court that the crash happened on the A457 Soho Way, Smethwick at the main crossroads. She said at around 6pm on December 15 last year, Watts was travelling along Crocketts Lane and was due to turn right into Soho Way.

Mr Bray, 53, from Elizabeth Crescent, Oldbury, was riding a Honda motorcycle travelling straight across the junction from New Street towards Crocketts Lane.

She said: "As the lights turned to green the defendant commenced the right turn, he failed to see the deceased's approaching motorcycle."

Mr Bray was knocked off his bike and suffered serious injuries to his right leg. He was taken to hospital where he had a cardiac arrest and died. Watts, who had remained at the scene after the collision, was arrested and during interview he said that he simply did not see Mr Bray.

Miss Sally Hancox, defending, said: "He knows that there are those who will not accept any apology on his behalf and he knows he must live with that and bear the consequences of that."

Watts was sentenced to a 12-month community order, 160 hours of unpaid work, was disqualified from driving for two years and ordered to pay costs of £600.