A MAN is facing a "substantial" prison sentence after he admitted causing the death of 28-year-old man in a crash in North Yorkshire.

Joseph Keane, 28, from Billinge, suffered fatal injuries when the Peugeot car he was a passenger in was hit by Adam Kershaw’s seven-and-a-half tonne Mercedes box van on the A65 near Ingleton on July 13, 2018.

Today, Friday, Kershaw, 29, of Booth Street, Cleckheaton made his first appearance before a judge at Bradford Crown Court and pleaded guilty to causing Mr Keane’s death by dangerous driving.

Kershaw also admitted causing his death by driving while uninsured and otherwise than in accordance with a licence as well as possessing various drugs in the same day as the crash.

St Helens Star:

Adam Kershaw

More than a dozen members of Mr Keane’s family attended the hearing and were allowed to sit in the jury box while Kershaw entered his guilty pleas to the charges.

Judge Jonathan Rose decided that a pre-sentence report had to be prepared on Kershaw after he pointed out that the maximum sentence for such offending was 14 years in prison.

The judge expressed his condolences to Mr Keane’s family and apologised to them for the fact that the sentence hearing would not take place until December 31.

“You have pleaded guilty to six offences arising out of the events of the 13th of July last year,” the judge told Kershaw.

“The principal offence though is your driving that caused the death of a young man who had everything to live for and a very bright and promising future ahead of him.”

The judge said the seriousness of the main charge could not be overstated and his view was that it was a category one offence which suggested a range of sentence between seven and 14 years in prison.

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Judge Rose said the circumstances of Kershaw’s driving meant the case fell towards the upper end of that range and he remanded him in custody to await his sentence on New Year’s Eve.

The vehicle he was driving had been crudely converted into a "campervan".

Addressing Kershaw, the judge said: “Be under no illusions the sentence I will pass on you on the 31st will be a very substantial one.

"Close to the maximum for this offence, subject of course to the credit that will be given for your pleas indicated in the lower court." 

Following Mr Keane’s death last year his family released a statement in which was described as a kind, considerate and loving person.

“His loss has left us bereft and the only comfort we have is being surrounded by the people who loved him most,” they said.

“He was such a special, beautiful person, we were enriched by his presence and the pain of his loss means our lives will never be the same again.”

After the fatal crash Kershaw’s friend Shane Hughes drove away from the scene in a decommissioned ambulance which ended up crashing onto the railway level crossing at Kildwick.