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Posted on the 11th November 2024 in PHTM News
28 MONTHS JAIL FOR MAN WHO CAUSED DEATH OF POPULAR WELSH CABBIE BY DANGEROUS DRIVING
Thirty-year-old Mateusz Sikorski, pleaded guilty to the ‘death by dangerous driving’ of Christopher Boyle, affectionately known as “Mukka”, at a hearing in October.
He was sentenced to two years and four months in prison at Swansea Crown Court on Friday, November 8.
Mr Boyle sadly died at the scene on September 2 on the A4139 between Tenby and Penally, with the head-on crash occurring shortly before 11pm.
The court heard that Sikorski, who was born in Poland, but had grown up in Italy and then worked around Europe as a chef, was visiting Wales to look for work.
He was driving a friend's BMW towards Penally when he collided head-on with Mr Boyle, who was travelling in the opposite direction in his taxi heading back into Tenby.
Mr Boyle was pronounced dead at 11:32 pm having sustained multiple traumatic injuries.
Sikorski had initially told police officers at the scene that he was on the right side of the road, but later admitted differently, with CCTV footage from nearby Kiln Park service station capturing the footage.
The court heard that the defendant had been driving on the wrong side for at least half a mile before the collision occurred.
A victim impact statement read out in court on behalf of Mr Boyle’s sister, Elizabeth Evans stated: “The loss of Chris has been absolutely devastating.
"His tragic death by no fault of his own has left a void in our lives that can never be filled."
In mitigation, James Hartson argued that Sikorski had accepted full responsibility for Boyle’s death and expressed genuine remorse.
Addressing the court, the judge HH Geraint Walters KC, said: “These cases are amongst the most difficult that courts have to deal with. This wasn’t a momentary crossing onto the other carriageway; you were travelling along there for at least half a mile.”
The judge told the defendant: "It's incumbent on all of us no matter what country we're driving in, that we familiarise ourselves with the rules. Either you had forgotten or were ill equipped.”
Craig Harding of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Mateusz Sikorski's manner of driving posed a major risk to other road users and resulted in fatal consequences.
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