Man sentenced for causing death by dangerous driving

Niall Yeldham

A man who ploughed into the back of stationary traffic on the motorway, killing a man, has been sentenced.

Niall Yeldham (born 30/12/77) of Valkyrie Road, Wallasey, Merseyside has today Friday 5 July 2013 been sentenced to four and a half years in prison with three years disqualification from driving with an extended retest.

He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to causing death by dangerous driving.

Around 5pm on Wednesday 30 May 2012 Yeldham was driving a Mercedes LGV along the westbound carriageway of the M62 near to junction 20 at Rochdale.

As he approached the junction the traffic was slowing down and the overhead matrix signs displayed queue warnings and an advisory speed of 60 and then 40.

Yeldham failed to react to the warning signs and the slowing traffic and collided into the rear of stationary traffic.

He drove into five cars, one of the cars was a Proton Persona driven by Ashraf Ahmed, aged 36 from the Bradford area.

He was trapped inside the car and had suffered serious injuries. Ashfaq was treated by paramedics from an air ambulance, but was sadly pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

Police Constable Paul Joynson from GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “Yeldham did not set out that day to have a collision, but he took his eye off the road for a sustained period of time and collided with Mr Ashfaq’s car and caused his untimely death.

"He now has to live with the knowledge that his dangerous driving has resulted in the death of a much loved family man.

"This is a tragic case that once again shows how vitally important it is for motorists to give their complete and unreserved attention while driving on the roads."