VW Golf R driver killed cyclist on Leeds road in 97mph smash then torched car to destroy evidence
A driver who smashed into a cyclist at nearly 100mph on a Leeds road then torched the high-performance vehicle in a bid to cover his tracks.
Keiran Hunt was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this afternoon for causing the death of 48-year-old John Shelton.
Hunt, a 37-year-old parcel courier, admitted causing death by dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice.
He was jailed for 13 years. Judge Alex Menary told him his callous moves after hitting Mr Shelton was “not panic but an effort to save your own skin”.
He said his only real mitigation were his guilty pleas.
Hunt had delivered a parcel and was driving the powerful VW Golf R on Ridge Road near Micklefield at around 2pm on April 28, when he inexplicably smashed into Mr Shelton, close to Ridge Road Energy.
Mr Shelton, who is from the Manchester area but worked in West Yorkshire, was returning to work at the time and was wearing a high-vis vest. It was a straight road and visibility was good.
Despite his car being badly damaged, Hunt failed to stop.
He then drove to Chapeltown, where he employed the help of others to set fire to the Golf on St John’s Court car park.
However, CCTV and dash-cam footage from another vehicle picked up the collision on Ridge Road, and the obvious damage sustained to the Golf.
CCTV also picked up the car being torched, which showed one of the males - not the defendant - carrying a jerrycan.
Finally, the Golf had been fitted with a tracker which monitored its journey from the crash site to where it was set alight.
Hunt, of Field View, Micklefield, was arrested but refused to answer questions during his police interview.
Investigators estimated he was travelling around 97mph in the moments before the smash.
The court heard that Hunt has 17 convictions for 24 offences, including previous for drug dealing, dangerous driving, drink driving and perverting the course of justice.
Mitigating, Andrew Scott, said: “He recognises and acknowledges the seriousness and gravity of the offences.
“He rightly accepts the punishment he will receive. Through me he wishes to apologise for his actions to Mr Shelton’s family and friends.
“He fully understands any apology and the remorse he conveys may appear hollow and provides little comfort.
“He appreciates that he and nobody else has taken an innocent’s man’s life. It will weight heavy on his mind far beyond any sentence of imprisonment.”
He said due to his criminal record, he had moved away and was living in Micklefield to start afresh.
Hunt was told he must serve at least two-thirds of his sentence before being eligible for parole. He was also banned from driving for more than 13-and-a-half years.