A SERBIAN businessman has been jailed for the dangerous driving which killed a father-of-three near Fairburn in October.

Alan Mitcheson, prosecuting, told York Crown Court that Mile Desnica’s van had been on the wrong side of the road at the end of an overtaking manoeuvre when it collided with a motorcycle ridden by Christopher Downes at 7am on October 20 on the A1246, formerly the A1. Mr Downes, of Leeds, died at the scene. Desnica, 35, of Belgrade, who was in the UK to buy motor parts for his car business, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for 15 months and banned from driving in this country for three years. “It was a serious driving error whereby you created a significant danger to other road users and of course to Mr Downes, who was approaching in the opposite direction,” the Recorder of York, Judge Stephen Ashurst, told Desnica.

Richard Barradell, Desnica’s barrister, said his client, also a father-of-three, had made a “dreadful mistake” that would affect him for the rest of his life and he was full of remorse.

When he saw the motorcycle approaching, he had instinctively moved to the right, towards the oncoming vehicle, because he was used to driving on the right.

The crash had probably cost him his business. He was of good character, a hard-working father.

The court heard that the collision occurred in the dark on an unlit stretch of road when Desnica was heading north for a business meeting in Peterlee and Mr Downes was heading south.