Death crash driver Andrew Minshull jailed for killing Dominic Culshaw
DELIVERY driver Andrew Minshull killed a church minister on the A500 when he ploughed his van into a traffic jam while fiddling with his mobile phone.
The 32-year-old was driving at around 60mph in the outside lane, not wearing a seatbelt, and also eating a sandwich when he failed to see the queuing traffic.
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Jailed: Andrew Minshull
His Mercedes Sprinter van hit the back of 46-year-old Dominic Culshaw's BMW 520, ramming it into the vehicle in front.
Married Mr Culshaw, of Powderham Close, Packmoor, was killed instantly – while Minshull escaped with minor injuries.
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Now Minshull has been jailed for four-and-a-half years at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court after admitting causing death by dangerous driving.
The court heard he was working for delivery firm DHL and on his way to Crewe when the crash happened on the northbound carriageway on May 3 last year. Port Vale fan Mr Culshaw was travelling to work in Liverpool and was waiting in a queue of traffic approaching junction 16 of the M6.
Paul Spratt, prosecuting, said: "The defendant travelled in the outside lane of the A500 at about 60mph. During this time he passed a number of other people who expressed the view that the vehicle was travelling fast. One witness says he was coming down at what he thought was phenomenal speed.
"It's impossible to determine what speed he was travelling at at the point of the collision, but there is no evidence that he slowed down or was braking.
"The defendant was using his phone – he was trying to connect it to the bluetooth technology.
"In addition the defendant admitted he had taken a bite of a sandwich shortly before the incident or at the time of the incident."
The court heard Minshull, of Ian Road, Newchapel, had never been in trouble before.
Barrister Joanne Wallbanks submitted eight character references to the judge, and said her client had also written to Mr Culshaw's family.
She said: "The references show him to be a good, hard-working family man. He makes no excuses for what happened that day. He is extremely remorseful and that remorse is genuine." Judge Paul Glenn told Minshull: "This collision occurred because you were not watching the road ahead of you. You were using your phone, probably connecting it up so it could be used hands-free. That's something you should have done before setting off.
"It's perhaps a matter of good fortune that there were no other victims here."
He added: "No sentence that any court can impose would even begin to compensate for the tragic death of Dominic Culshaw."
Following the sentence, PC Dave Stubbs, of Staffordshire Police, said: "It is vital that all motorists follow the rules of the road."
Comments
by BAMStoker
Monday, September 17 2012, 10:09AM
“The wrong man died. Full Stop.”
by warren-lloyd
Monday, September 17 2012, 9:57AM
“Wud, u, gud, wot, I take it that is text speak. An abomination of the English language if you ask me.”
by 01stokeon
Sunday, September 16 2012, 11:04PM
“u seem to judge before hand always remember its a true fact never ever listen to rubbish it get everyone in trouble if u believed everything u heard life wud be a totally different place. do u think the world is going to end do u think u are going to wake up with no teeth i guess not never believe wot people tell you true fact there is 2 sides to every story and saying u were told is telling tales simple fact dont forget everyone involved in this sad story as and going thought hell so never say wot u dont no ive losted a very gud friend a few years ago people like you dont help”
by Thunderbird
Sunday, September 16 2012, 10:16PM
“I Never said I was either a friend or companion of him.
From a very reliable source was told he reacted that way ,the day after the accident.”
by warren-lloyd
Sunday, September 16 2012, 8:20PM
“He must be a utter idiot.”
by 01stokeon
Sunday, September 16 2012, 6:23PM
“yeah camband i see it all time when you drive down the A500 and M6 everyday 1 in 3 cars are on the phone or messing with something so yeah i do see it everyday and truck drivers too like for instant on friday morning at 7 in the morning i saw a woman eatting an apple so that why i say it a horrible accident and people should think about there actions before doing things but all at wider picture and the police should be doing more to stop it.
And Thunderbird you said you were in the pub with this man and went fishing with him so to me your two faced this man though you were his friend and now your slattering him. If you felt he wasnt remorse why go fishing with him or have a drink in the pub because if that was me i wouldnt off.”
by stokeandvale
Sunday, September 16 2012, 12:42PM
“He will always be known as the it who "Killed an innocent man, while speeding, eating and using his phone"”
by camband
Sunday, September 16 2012, 10:19AM
“by 01stokeon.. "-but drive down the A500 everyday and maybe u will understand -50 percent of drivers do drive on the phone .." UNQUOTE.
50% !! I didn't realise it was that bad -to the point of being 'fashionable'. And just to get it right what you witness everyday on the A500 -does that 50% mean 50% of all drivers -across the board?
So, 50% of car drivers; 50% of van drivers; 50% of Truck Drivers; 50% of coach drivers (National Express Drivers); etc etc..... if so, in that case, for a start, I will never travel again on a coach on the A500 or any motorway, because if they use their mobile while driving a coach on the A500 -then they will also use it when driving on the M6 or M1 or anywhere in the UK.
Frightening. Never realised that this aspect of the law was so scorned by so many. What chance safety.”
by Johntoe
Sunday, September 16 2012, 12:45AM
“@ 01stokeon
ME, I have NEVER fiddled with my phone while driving, not once, and I've been using the roads since 1969, I've never smoked, never eaten never fiddled with a radio/tape/CD player,
Because I it would be only slightly more dangerous on a motorbike than it is in a car,
Driving a huge lump of metal down a road at a high speed, (and if you don't think 20mph is a 'high speed' get a mate to drive a car towards you at 20mph and you try stopping it with your head)
Requires 100% attention 100% of the time, because 90% or 95% gets people killed,”
by Scfc6988
Saturday, September 15 2012, 10:47PM
“I don't think people can comment on whether this man was remorseful unless they actually know him personally, people don't remember everything that happens, this man didn't have his seatbelt on so I guess he probably suffered a head injury himself. We don't know the full facts so writing false comments on here are uncalled for. The man involved now has to live with it for the rest of his life, using his phone was wrong but the crash was an accident as a result of it. He got his sentence and more than likely a driving ban which hasn't been reported, My thoughts go out to the family of the man that died.”