July 13, 2017 1.07 pm This story is over 80 months old

Tractor driver who caused death of popular Boston DJ and dad avoids jail

A tractor driver who caused the death of a popular Boston disc jockey when he failed to see his scooter has been sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid work in the community. Lyuboslav Georgiev, 21, should have seen devoted dad Terry Young, 31, before he turned across the road to deliver a load of vegetables…
Terry Young died on November 1, 2016. Photo: Facebook

A tractor driver who caused the death of a popular Boston disc jockey when he failed to see his scooter has been sentenced to 150 hours of unpaid work in the community.

Lyuboslav Georgiev, 21, should have seen devoted dad Terry Young, 31, before he turned across the road to deliver a load of vegetables to a food processing factory in Boston.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Georgiev lost concentration for a few seconds as he tried to make the delivery and simply did not see Mr Young who was riding in the opposite direction.

Georgiev, who worked for Staples Fresh Vegetables, had volunteered to make the delivery to the factory in Marsh Lane, Boston, and was driving the second of two tractors who were both towing trailers and were fitted with cutting rigs on the front.

The court was told Georgiev waited in the road with his indicator on after the first tractor turned in to the site but then tried to pull alongside the other vehicle.

Michael Cranmer-Brown, prosecuting, said Mr Young, who also worked as a dispatch operative, was himself riding to work at around 5.40pm with his headlights on and wearing proper clothing.

“Georgiev began the manoeuvre in to the opposite carriageway, at that point there was no opportunity for Mr Young to break or swerve around the tractor,” Mr Cranmer-Brown told the court.

One eyewitness made the comment: “What’s he doing, there is a bike coming, didn’t he see it?”

Mr Young, who had a young son, was taken to hospital but died from chest injuries.

At the scene Georgiev was described as “holding his head” and heard to say “I didn’t see him.”

The court heard Georgiev had driven tractors in his native Bulgaria and had done a training course as part of his job.

A police collision investigator concluded that although the cutting rig would have obscured his vision to some extent, Georgiev should have altered his position to see Mr Young and the road ahead.

Georgiev, of Marsh Farm, Wrangle, had admitted causing Mr Young’s death by careless driving on November 1, 2016 at a court hearing earlier this week.

He was sentenced to a 12 month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work. He was also banned from driving for two years and must take an extended retest. He must also pay £1,000 costs.

In a victim impact statement which was read out in court Mr Young’s mother described her son as a “kind, loving and caring” dad who idolised his son and always put his family first.

She added: “Until the day we die we will have an ache in our heart that will never be healed.”

Tom Gent, mitigating, said Georgiev was haunted by the tragedy.

He added that Georgiev was a hard working young man who came to the UK to pay for his studies at Sofia University.

Passing sentence Judge Simon Hirst told the court his sentence was not intended to put a value on the life of Mr Young.

The judge told Georgiev: “Terry’s mother put that far better than I ever could, observing the sentence you will serve will never compare to their sentence.”