Driver jailed after e-bike crash kills young mum

A driver has been jailed after a “pursuit of anger” ended in the death of a young mother who was knocked off an electric bike on a narrow country lane.

Alana Armstrong, 25, described as a “caring, compassionate” mother, was a passenger on the bike driven by her boyfriend Jordan Newton-Kay, on Batley Lane, Pleasley, Derbyshire, on 26 November when it was hit by a Land Rover Discovery.

Keaton Muldoon, 23, of Tuckers Lane, Mansfield, had previously admitted causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He was sentenced at Derby Crown Court to five years and three months in prison and banned from driving for 12 years and six months.

In June, Muldoon was found not guilty of murder and of causing grievous bodily harm with intent in relation to Mr Newton-Kay, who later had his right leg amputated.

Judge Shaun Smith KC described the incident in which Ms Armstrong died as a “pursuit in anger, which took place over a mile”, and said Muldoon performed a “dangerous manoeuvre on a narrow country lane”.

He added Ms Armstrong was a “vulnerable road user”, with Muldoon later disposing of the vehicle and “pointed the finger of blame” at his uncle.

The court heard Muldoon was dealing cocaine nearby and had lights shone into his car.

Judge Smith added: “You turned and followed… you could have left but you chose not to. I reject that you were frightened.

“I am satisfied the reason was because you were irritated and wanted to teach them a lesson by chasing them and frightening them.

“But I agree with the verdict the jury returned; you had no intention to hurt anybody.”

Mr Newton-Kay, who attended court in a wheelchair, had a victim impact statement read out to the court by Sally Howes KC, prosecuting.

In it, Mr Newton-Kay said he was planning to propose to Alana on her birthday during a trip to Amsterdam they were planning.

“I planned the trip and bought the ring and the proposal was a massive surprise… she never got to know about it.

“I don’t do anything anymore since she died, I just stay in bed.

“I have so much anger towards the person responsible for this… I wish it was him that died.”

The court also heard from Ms Armstrong’s mother Kerry Hall. She said her daughter’s death had devastated her six-year-old grandson, who had to open Christmas presents his mother had bought him without her there.

“It is hard to know where to start…I’ve lost my baby. It breaks my heart that I will never get another chance I tell her I love her.

“I will mourn and think of her for the rest of my life – it breaks my heart she won’t get to see her son grow up.

“His actions have ripped the heart out of our family… the light she brought was tremendous and we will never fully recover from this.”

CCTV footage seen by the jury in the trial showed the car following two e-bikes before contact with one of the bikes, causing the rider and the passenger to fall off. The car then drove off from the scene without stopping.

Extensive inquiries took place in the area, but the driver of the vehicle did not come forward, the court heard.

The jury was shown a CCTV image of the passenger in the Land Rover, which was published in a media appeal on 29 November and on 2 December. In turn, Muldoon handed himself into police.

During his police interview, he denied being the driver at the time of the collision and named another person he said was responsible.

Adrian Langdale KC, defending, said: “This case was opened by the Crown on the basis of persisted pursuit and ramming of the bike… that is not what has been found.”

He added Muldoon had written a “mature” letter of apology and remorse to the judge on what he had done and the incident had deeply upset him.

Sentencing Muldoon, Judge Smith said: “There is no price on human life.

“I’m not putting a price on Alana Armstrong – neither a sentence can be measure by revenge.”