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Thug driver jailed for nine years after chasing down and killing motorcyclist, 22, in road rage attack

This is the chilling moment a terrified motorcyclist was chased by a thug driver moments before he was mowed down and killed in a road rage attack.

Tragic Stuart Hutchings, 22, died after his motorbike was ploughed into by David Barnes, 28, following a 60mph chase around residential streets.

Barnes was pursuing Mr Hutchings at high speed because he wrongly believed he had stolen his brother’s motorbike.

The 11-second clip shows Mr Hutchings travelling along Eastern Avenue South in Kingsthorpe, Northampton, closely followed by Barnes’ red Ford Fiesta.

Both vehicles are then seen travelling in the opposite direction as Mr Hutchings desperately tried to outrun Barnes.

<em>David Barnes has been jailed for mowing down motorcyclist Stuart Hutchings (SWNS)</em>
David Barnes has been jailed for mowing down motorcyclist Stuart Hutchings (SWNS)

Mr Hutchings, of Southfields, Northampton, was seriously injured when Barnes collided with him in Eastern Avenue North at around 8.30pm on May 18.

He died in University Hospital in Coventry six days later on May 24.

Barnes, of Daventry, Northants., has now been jailed for nine years after he admitted manslaughter at Birmingham Crown Court.

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Co-defendant Craig Turner, 26, of Daventry, Northants., was acquitted of murder.

Judge Melbourne Inman QC told Barnes: “You deliberately pursued the bike.

“You knew that the rider of the bike had little or no protection from collision compared with the occupant of the car.

<em>CCTV footage showed Barnes pursuing Hutchings in a 60mph chase (SWNS)</em>
CCTV footage showed Barnes pursuing Hutchings in a 60mph chase (SWNS)

“You deliberately pursued him at grossly excessive speed and merely feet behind him.

“As your counsel rightly pointed out at 60mph you would travel 27 metres in one second.

“In other words, if the bike braked you would hit it at 60mph before you could even begin to brake.

“The risk of a catastrophic collision causing the death of the rider of the bike was therefore very high.”

The court heard Mr Hutchings was driving a motorbike when he was struck by Barnes’ red Ford Fiesta after being chased for one-and-a-half miles.

Barnes was trying to find his brother Gary’s stolen off-road trials motorbike after hearing that it had been spotted in the St James area of Northampton.

Prosecutor Peter Joyce QC said: “David Barnes did go from Daventry to Northampton with Craig Turner in an attempt to find the stolen bike and the result of that search was this defendant was involved in a determined and dangerous pursuit in Northampton.”

<em>Barnes was sentenced to nine years in jail at Birmingham Crown Court (Geograph)</em>
Barnes was sentenced to nine years in jail at Birmingham Crown Court (Geograph)

James House QC, defending, said: “There was no intention when David Barnes set out that day to cause harm to anyone, let alone the death of someone.

“He accepts that he drove too fast and too close, and that his driving was dangerous. He acknowledges he made a mistake.”

Detective Inspector Stuart Hitchon, from Northamptonshire Police CID, said: “This has been a tragic case where a young man has sadly lost his life.

“Even though the case has concluded today, the family remain devastated knowing that they will never see Stuart again.

“His daughter was only born a few weeks ago and she will grow up without her father.”