What killer driver did months after fatal crash 'took police officer's breath away'
A killer driver's shocking actions months after he caused a fatal crash "took a police officer's breath away". Kieran Williams smashed his car into Vinny Lawrence's motorcycle at high speed while driving into oncoming traffic as he gave his brother and a barman a lift home from the pub.
The dad-of-two was pronounced dead at the scene at the age of 48 as a result of injuries. But the car driver then callously sought to blame his victim for the crash, falsely claiming to the police that the biker had been the one travelling on the wrong side of the road.
Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Tuesday, that Williams, of Waterside in Netherton, had been with his brother in the Packet Steamer pub on the evening of July 19 2023 and later gave a lift home to a member of staff. The three men set off from the premises - where he also worked as a chef but was only "socialising" on the night in question, having apparently consumed three quarters of a pint and smoked cannabis prior to the collision - in his Vauxhall Astra at around 11pm.
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Kevin Slack, prosecuting, described how the 24-year-old's car was then seen travelling on Northern Perimeter Road, a street with a 30mph limit, at "greatly excessive speed" without its main headlights on. CCTV footage showed Williams' vehicle travelling on the wrong side of the road around 150 metres prior to the location where he collided head-on with Mr Lawrence's oncoming motorbike.
Mr Slack said: "Whilst on the wrong side of the road, the defendant had driven on the wrong side of two pedestrian refuges in the centre of the road as well as going the wrong way around a mini roundabout. Mr Lawrence, in contrast, was travelling at a very conservative speed. The witness Rachael Brady had passed Mr Lawrence moments earlier in her car, and she describes him as the most cautious motorcyclist she had ever seen."
One man among 11 members of his family present in the public gallery said "oh my god", while others gasped, as footage showing Williams' speed prior to the collision was played to the court before a bang was heard as the crash occurred off camera. One woman meanwhile broke down in tears and was consoled by another man as a further clip showed the bike's petrol tank exploding in the distance following the incident.
The force of the crash also split his motorbike in two, as well as leaving debris strewn up to 65 metres away. One of the wheels of Williams' car also came off due to the impact and came to rest 126 metres away.
He remained in the area alongside his brother in the aftermath and was taken to hospital after being arrested, having seemingly suffered a panic attack. When subsequently interviewed at Belle Vale Police Station, he admitted being behind the wheel but "denied driving dangerously".
Williams even went on to claim that Mr Lawrence had been the one who was travelling on the wrong side of the road. He was shown CCTV footage of the incident when questioned by detectives for a second time on October 10 2024, but said he "stood by the contents of his original interview" and thereafter made no comment.
Five months after the fatal crash, Williams was spotted by police driving in the Bootle area "shooting across a junction at high speed". An officer subsequently gave chase and reached speeds of up to 70mph "in an effort to catch up".
When stopped and spoken to by the PC, the motorist confessed to being under investigation for causing death by dangerous driving. Mr Slack added: "The officer describes how this took his breath away, given the manner of the driving that he had just seen."
Williams has one previous conviction, having received a 12-week suspended prison sentence in 2018 for two counts of possession of a bladed article in a public place. Richard Dawson, defending, told the court: "There is no doubt that this is a tragic case which has had catastrophic consequences, principally for Vincent Lawrence and the family and friends closest to him.
"There is no sentence that this court can impose that will restore Vincent Lawrence's life. No term of years and months will cure their inevitable anguish.
"He was a very new and inexperienced driver. He had only just passed his driving test a matter of weeks prior to the collision and had only had access to the car for a few weeks, his mother having gifted him her old car as a present for having passed his test."
One man in the public gallery laughed as Mr Dawson continued: "He has an otherwise good driving record, albeit a very short driving record. This was, at least, an event in part because of his inexperience, but I say that plainly in conjunction with his irresponsibility.
"He deeply does regret the events of that day, not simply for the consequences visited upon him and his own family but for those who sit in court for Mr Lawrence. Mr Williams has a long history of anxiety and depression which has only been compounded by his involvement in the collision, the investigation which followed and the prosecution that brings him here today.
"While Mr Williams will have a good deal of time to reflect on matters while in custody, that time will go towards changing him in a positive way. His employer has indicated that, ultimately, when he is released, they will reemploy him.
"References and testimonials perhaps paint the true picture of the young man before the court today. While the standard of driving was deliberate and deplorable, this was not sustained bad driving.
"I submit that this was an out of character event. The event ultimately was unforeseen and unintended. Mr Williams did not set out to kill anyone, nor did he intend to injure anyone."
Williams admitted causing death by dangerous driving. Wearing a long sleeved polo shirt in the dock and sporting short mousey hair and a beard, he showed no reaction as he was jailed for eight years and eight months and banned from the roads for 10 years and nine months.
Sentencing, Judge Neil Flewitt KC said: "He was an experienced biker and, according to one witness who saw him that night, the most cautious motorcyclist she had ever seen. He was a father to two young boys, aged two and one, and a carer for his father, aged 91. Vincent has left behind a large family and many friends who are devastated and still mourning his loss.
"Although it is impossible to calculate precisely how fast you were travelling, it is clear that you were driving at a speed greatly in excess of the limit. You moved on to the wrong side of the road. There was no obvious reason for you to do that. You are therefore either unable or unwilling to explain why you did it.
"Tragically, riding his motorbike sensibly was Vincent Lawrence. He would have had no reason to expect you to be travelling on the wrong side of the road and had little or no time to avoid the collision.
"In the circumstances, a collision was inevitable with fatal consequences for Vincent Lawrence. The sole cause of the collision was your decision to drive on the wrong side of the road.
"I take into account your age and immaturity. I accept that you were an inexperienced driver but, in the absence of any explanation for your decision to drive on the wrong side of the road, I do not accept that inexperience alone was the cause of this collision.
"References describe a hard working, passionate and remorseful young man, for whom these are offences are out of character. However, I find it hard to accept some of the submissions made on your behalf.
"The suggestion that the offence was out of character is undermined by how you drove five months later. The suggestion of remorse is undermined by your attempt to blame Vincent Lawrence for the collision. I accept that, after a period of reflection, you now regret the way that you drove on the night of the 19th of July 2023.
"I appreciate that any sentence I impose will seem inadequate. You made a deliberate decision to ignore the rules of the road and showed a complete disregard for the risk of danger to others."
Williams will serve two thirds of his sentence behind bars before his release on licence and will be required to pass an extended retest before he is allowed to drive again. He raised an eyebrow to the public gallery, where his supporters sat in tears, as he was led down to the cells.