A killer driver is back in jail after he was involved in another incident of dangerous driving just a few years after he caused the death of a much-loved Ilkley woman.
In February 2018 Billy Horsfall, then 24, crashed a Vauxhall Astra into a Honda Jazz on Common Road in Bradford and caused fatal injuries to 68-year-old passenger Jane Floweth.
Horsfall fled the scene of the collision, but he was arrested a few days and later admitted causing Ms Floweth’s death by dangerous driving.
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In March 2019 he was jailed for three years and four months.
A judge said today (December 11) that Horsfall, now 30, had been released from that prison sentence in November 2020, but Bradford Crown Court heard that he had not passed the extended re-test he was ordered to take at the end of his 44-month driving ban.
In September this year Horsfall was driving a Mazda car while still disqualified when he was spotted by police late at night in Broadstone Way in Bradford and a short chase began.
But prosecutor Alisha Kaye described how Horsfall ignored the blue lights of the police vehicle and drove on the wrong side of the road towards Tyersal Lane.
Horsfall was driving at up to 45mph on 30mph roads before he stopped the Mazda near to his home on Grayswood Crescent.
Miss Kaye said Horsfall made two attempts to reverse into the police car which had pulled up behind him, but the officers were able to manoeuvre out of his way.
Eventually another police vehicle helped to block in Horsfall and he was arrested.
Horsfall gave a positive roadside breath test for alcohol, but he was later found not to be over the limit.
After his arrest Horsfall became obstructive and threatening and began banging his head on the police vehicle.
Miss Kaye said Horsfall threatened to “bang” the officers and he had to be carried into hospital from a police van so his head injuries could be treated.
“He was aggressive and he had to be sedated by hospital staff,” said Miss Kaye.
Horsfall pleaded guilty to charges of dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and causing criminal damage to the police vehicle.
Solicitor advocate Saf Salam, for Horsfall, said his client had suffered the breakdown of a relationship and the death of his brother, but they were not excuses for his behaviour.
He said Horsfall, who had been working as a roofer and maintenance man, had accepted responsibility for the offending and was ashamed of himself.
Judge Kirstie Watson told Horsfall that she didn’t need to tell him about the risks of dangerous driving because of his conviction for causing Ms Floweth’s death.
“It therefore defies belief that you are back before this court again for an offence of dangerous driving,” she told Horsfall.
She noted that his prison licence only expired in July last year and yet just over a year later he was back behind the wheel of a car without a licence having not taken the extended test.
Judge Watson said it was a miracle that there were no injuries that night to members of the public or the police officers.
She said the 15-month sentence had to be an immediate one and she also banned Horsfall from driving again for a total of four years and seven months.
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