Five cleared over ride-out deaths

Five motorcyclists controversially charged with causing the death by careless driving of a couple who collided with a car have been cleared.

Paul Wheater, 29, Ian Townson, 31, Michael Paul Hannon, 26, David Hastings, 27, and Dax Lerman, 28, were cleared by a judge after the prosecution failed to produce sufficient evidence.

They had been charged with causing the deaths by careless driving of Bradford couple Dean and Helen Slater, who collided with a car while riding in a group with the five.   

Mr Slater, 40, was riding with his 37-year-old solicitor wife as pillion when they collided with a car heading in the opposite direction on a slip road of the A64 near Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, last August.

The five defendants, all from West Yorkshire, were arrested after simultaneous dawn raids on their homes in November.

But the charges were dismissed at Leeds Crown Court. 

Hastings was also cleared of causing death by dangerous driving while uninsured.

Inspector Dave Brown, North Yorkshire’s head of strategic roads policing, said: “As always, we respect the decision that the court has made. The judge stated that this was a thorough, comprehensive and fair investigation which was proportionate to the alleged offences.

“We believe that the investigation was justified and our response was appropriate given the tragic deaths of the two victims.”