Man jailed for causing death by dangerous driving

A man has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for causing death by dangerous driving in Dilton Marsh.

Louis Tavener, 23, of Fell Road, Westbury, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing serious injury and a further count of causing death by dangerous driving.

He was jailed for eight years and six months, to serve a minimum of two thirds of the sentence in prison, at Salisbury Crown Court on Monday, November 18.

These charges came after a road traffic collision on the A3098 outside Chalcot Park Farm (a 50-limit road) on April 11 last year.

Tavener was driving at speeds of up to 78 miles per hour in wet conditions when he lost control of his car and crashed head on into Warwick Bayman who was travelling home in the opposite direction.

Mr Bayman, a 63-year-old retired pilot from Frome, sadly died at the scene.

The three passengers inside Tavener's BMW were also injured, including Jenson Moore who was airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Mr Bayman's sister Clare, speaking on behalf of her family, said: "The way in which my brother lost his life was slightly ironic.

"He was a commercial pilot, an HGV Class 1 driver and a superbly skilled rally driver who had nothing to prove on the road. Yet, he was killed by a driver who was going too fast for his level of driving experience.

"Warwick's family, fiancée and friends will always hold him in their memories as being one of the really good guys and he will be greatly missed."

Sergeant Rich Hatch, from Wiltshire's Serious Collision Investigation Team, said: "Tavener's actions directly changed the lives of numerous people forever.

"Mr Bayman was only a few weeks away from marrying his partner when Tavener took both his and his fiancée’s future away. Our thoughts remain with Mr Bayman's family and friends on this day.

"Wiltshire Police and the CPS have spent a year building the case against Tavener. His sentence today should serve as a warning to others who make conscious decisions to drive too fast in wet conditions.

"The actions of one driver can change lives forever and we urge people to consider the risks before doing so."