Published by Robert L Senior Reporter on Wednesday 5th March 2025, at 14:45hrs
An 88-year-old man has been sentenced after his illegal U-turn on a busy A-road resulted in the death of his wife.
Thomas Nibbs, of Glenwood Avenue, Shipley, West Yorkshire, was driving his Kia Ceed southbound on the A56 Accrington by-pass on June 3rd, 2023, when his sat nav instructed him to turn around. Despite the dangerous nature of the manoeuvre, Nibbs executed an unlawful U-turn at the junction with Sandy Lane.
His vehicle collided with a northbound Volkswagen Golf. Tragically, Nibbs’ wife, Roseanne, 67, who was the front seat passenger in the Kia, sustained serious injuries and died later the same day in hospital.
The driver and passenger of the Golf suffered minor injuries.
Nibbs pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving. Today, Wednesday, March 5th, 2025, he was sentenced at court. He received an 8-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and was disqualified from driving for the rest of his life.
Inspector Helen Parkinson, of the Road Policing Unit, expressed her condolences to the family of Roseanne Nibbs.
“Although I appreciate no sentence will compensate the loss of a loved family member, I hope this outcome brings some form of closure for Roseanne’s wider family and my thoughts very much remain with them today,” she stated.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of careless driving and the importance of adhering to road safety regulations, particularly for elderly drivers.
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