Ten years jail for Workington man guilty of causing death by dangerous driving

Lee Thomas Walley, aged 36, from Beverley Close, Workington was sentenced to 10 years at Carlisle Crown Court  for causing the death of Mr James McKenzie by dangerous driving.

On the 7th of March 2012 a road traffic collision occurred on Honister Drive in Workington, when Walley’s Volkswagen Golf was in a head on collision with a Ford Focus driven by Mr McKenzie. Mr McKenzie sadly died as a result of the multiple injuries he received in the collision.

Walley was described by witnesses as driving at excessive speed and was overtaking vehicles on the approach to a left hand bend, it was also shown that at the time of this collision that he was under the influence of drugs.

He was sentenced to ten years imprisonment, but as he had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, this was reduced to six years and eight months, he was also banned from driving for eight years.

Sergeant Jo Walker, who was the senior investigating officer for the case, said: “Mr McKenzies family were satisfied with the result, nothing will ever bring him back but todays sentencing has given them some closure. 

“On the 7th of March Walley not only drove in a dangerous manner but also had drugs in his system at the time. His actions resulted in the devastating loss for Mr McKenzie’s family and my deepest sympathies go out to them. If people chose to risk not only their own lives but that of others by carrying out these types of actions, then they will be prosecuted and risk being sent to prison for a lengthy period of tim