A van driver has avoided jail after his careless driving caused the death of a motorcyclist from Letchworth.

Lee Bozier-Lown, known as Boz, was riding his motorbike in Cambridge Road, Dunton, on the morning of May 11 last year when he was involved in a collision with a Ford Transit van.

The 46-year-old from Letchworth was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Friday (August 2), 24-year-old Cameron Patterson, of Laburnum Avenue in Bury St Edmunds, was sentenced at Luton Crown Court for causing death by careless driving, having previously pleaded guilty to the offence.

Patterson received a 12-month custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months, as well as being disqualified from driving for 18 months.

He has also been ordered to complete 240 hours of unpaid work, 20 days of rehabilitation, pay a £1,000 fine and wear an electronic tag for 18 weeks.

Boz’s wife Lavinia, said: "Whilst this sentence doesn’t alleviate the pain of Boz’s death, I wish to stress that we, Boz’s friends and family, are satisfied with the verdict.

"Boz was passionate about safe riding and hopefully this tragedy will remind other road users to drive and ride carefully. Just one small lapse in concentration can have devastating consequences.

"It bought us great comfort that the prosecution, defence and the judge herself all emphasised that Boz had been riding safely and could have done nothing to avoid the collision.

"It is everybody’s responsibility to ensure the safety of vulnerable road users."

Detective Sergeant Craig Wheeler, from the Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: "This was a completely avoidable collision, caused by Patterson failing to use his mirrors and check his blind spot prior to committing to an overtake.

"His failure to do this has cost Mr Bozier-Lown his life.

"I would like to commend the family and friends of Mr Bozier-Lown - affectionally known as Boz by all who knew him - and together we wish to take this opportunity to remind road users to always ‘Think Bike’, and to take extra care in checking their blind spots to ensure tragic collisions such as this can be avoided."

For more information about safe riding, visit bikerdown.co.uk or bikesafe.co.uk, where you can find free courses available to all motorcycle riders across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire.