'Dearly loved' couple suffered catastrophic injuries when driver overshot notorious blind bend and crashed into them

A van driver left a "dearly loved" and "irreplaceable" couple with catastrophic multiple injuries after he overshot a notorious blind 'S' bend and crashed head-on into their car as it headed towards him in the opposite direction.

The 84-year-old driver died a month later and his wife, who was airlifted to hospital, died at the age of 68 earlier this year after suffering "torment" and "agony". Their deaths were not directly linked to the accident but the family's lives were "turned upside down and changed forever" by the horrific crash, Hull Crown Court heard.

Nathan Palmer, 39, of North Leys Road, Hollym, near Withernsea, admitted two offences of causing serious injury by careless driving on November 7, 2022.

Laura Addy, prosecuting, said that Palmer had been at his friend's house in Withernsea and they later decided to go to another friend's house in Hull. They left Withernsea at 6.30pm and Palmer was driving his brother's Citroen Berlingo van on the A1033 from Patrington towards Winestead.

It was dark and the roads were wet when he approached the first corner of the Winestead Bends, two 'S' bends. James Stevenson, 84, and his wife, Lorraine, of Patrington, were in a Kia car travelling in the opposite direction.

Palmer misjudged the first left-hand bend, either through speeding or oversteering, and the rear of the van partially crossed onto the other side of the road. He tried to correct it but part of the van remained on the wrong side of the road.

The car was heading towards him in the opposite direction on a blind bend. There was a head-on collision at about 6.50pm. There were no defects to either car.

Palmer came round shortly afterwards and went to speak to the occupants of the car. They were not talking and he collapsed shortly afterwards. There was blood around his mouth.

The police arrived at 7.15pm. There were also two fire engines on the scene. Palmer was just above the drug-drive limit at the time. The occupants of the car were taken to hospital. Mr Stevenson suffered fractured ribs, a fractured breastbone and a spleen laceration. He died a month later on December 7, 2022. The crash was a contributing factor but not the direct cause of his death.

Mrs Stevenson was more seriously injured and she suffered fractured ribs and fractures to her vertebrae, breastbone and right shinbone as well as two serious lacerations to the top of her groin, a hernia because of the fractures, a sprained neck, whiplash injuries and a frozen left shoulder.

Her home was later adapted so that she could be looked after. She needed 24-hour care and suffered "torment" and "agony". She died, aged 68, on March 17 this year.

The couple's daughter told the court that the family's lives were "turned upside down and changed forever".

She said of Palmer's driving: "Those actions took the lives of two people who were dearly loved. Our Mum and Dad didn't deserve to go through so much pain and anguish."

The couple had been together for more than 50 years and they had been married for 43 years. They had grandchildren.

Mr Stevenson was "larger than life" and sociable and he had been "as strong as an ox" before the accident. His wife was quieter. They had been in "good spirits" looking after their youngest grandchild earlier that day.

The court heard that the prosecution decided not to upgrade the charges to causing death by careless driving because there was a lack of evidence to prove that the two deaths were directly caused by the accident.

Palmer had convictions for 25 previous offences, including three offences of drug-driving and another of having no insurance committed in July last year – after the crash. He had been banned from driving for two years on November 20 last year for those offences.

Helen Chapman, mitigating, said that Palmer's drug taking increased when he faced the pressure of a criminal investigation into the incident. He committed the drug-driving offences within months of being interviewed and while the matter was still being investigated.

Palmer had a connection to the family of those involved in the accident. "He has genuine remorse for his conduct and it is sincerely felt," said Miss Chapman. Palmer had children. He had been drinking two litres of cider a day recently, the court heard.

Judge Mark Bury told Palmer: "You are not sentenced for causing the deaths of either James or Lorraine Stevenson by your driving. You have not been charged with it.

"No sentence can ever measure the worth of somebody's life." The husband and wife were "both irreplaceable" as people. "These two offences taken together are such that only a sentence of immediate custody can be justified," said Judge Bury.

Palmer, who had been on bail, was jailed for one year. He was banned from driving for three-and-a-half years and he must pass an extended retest before he can drive legally again.

After the hearing, the couple's daughter said: "The family are pleased that justice has been served."