A DRINK driver who crossed on to the wrong side of the road causing the death of a North Yorkshire motorcyclist has been jailed.

Andrew Crook, 48,  pleaded guilty at Bradford Crown Court to causing the death of 46-year-old Robert Allaway by driving without due care and attention when he was over the prescribed alcohol limit.

Crook, from Swinnow, Leeds, was jailed for four years and eight months and also must serve a five year, eight month ban.

On Saturday October 3 2015 at 12pm, Mr Allaway from Long Preston, Skipton, was riding his motorbike along the A65 near Settle when he was involved in a collision with Nissan Note driven by Crook.

He died at the scene despite the efforts of an off-duty doctor from Kendal.

A roadside breath test was conducted on Crook and he returned a reading of 83mg per 100ml of breath – nearly two and a half times the legal limit (35mg/100ml).

North Yorkshire Police conducted an investigation into the collision and found that whilst under the influence of alcohol Crook had driven his vehicle across double solid white lines onto the wrong side of the road and collided head on with Mr Allaway’s motorbike.

T/C Dave Seavers from the Major Collision Investigation Team, who led the investigation, said: "This was a utterly tragic case which has left Robert’s family devastated by his loss.

"Crook gave no consideration to the safety of other road users that day and got behind the wheel with a blatant disregard for the law.

"The bad choice Crook made meant that a man has lost his life through no fault of his own and his family faces a future without a loved one."

Mr Allaway's wife, Lorraine, said: "It is impossible to find the words to describe how we feel about Bob's death.

"He was my soul mate and is the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about at night. It is hard to accept that he is gone, as he still had so much to give.

"He didn't deserve to die in the way he did, especially that day when we as a family were already prepared for the loss of my sister who died one hour later from cancer. This is without doubt the hardest and most painful experience of my life.

"This has broken his mother’s heart and she was unable to attend court today due to the pain of losing her only son.  

"Bob is missed not only by me and my family but also by his many friends who are missing his presence and sense of humour greatly and will do for years to come.

"Especially on the many charity events that he could have been counted upon to join in, as his alter ego Freddie Mercury.

"Over the past seven months I have heard many of his friends state he was one in a million and once met never forgotten. 

"I aim to campaign for tougher sentencing for drivers who kill vulnerable road users through careless/dangerous drink/drug driving, in Bob’s name.

"It is very difficult to put into words or express how we feel or what we wanted the outcome to be. We know that nothing can ever bring him back. Nothing is going to make up for the suffering our family and friends have had to deal with over the last seven months.

"I want to thank the people who went to Bob's aid and tried so desperately to save him.

"I also want to thank the emergency services and police for their care and thorough investigation. Thanks also to everyone who has supported us through this the hardest of times."