A motorist has been jailed for speeding through a red light while more than twice the alcohol limit, killing a motorcyclist. Christopher Almond, 51, who has a history of dangerous driving and who served time for killing his own brother, undertook a stationary line of cars waiting to turn off the East Lancs Road in Salford, crashing his Audi A5 into David Connah’s BMW motorbike.
Mr Connah suffered horrific injuries after being propelled into bushes 80 metres from his motorbike and died in hospital later. The 43-year-old father had been due to marry his long-time partner within months.
The circumstances of the crash
Almond, from Little Hulton, was jailed at Manchester Crown Court after admitting causing death by dangerous driving and drink driving. The court heard the defendant had been drinking the night before and was still over the limit when the crash happened at the junction of Old Clough Lane near Worsley at 1.59pm on 3 May this year. He undertook a line of stationary traffic waiting to exit the East Lancs Road, running a red light before crashing into Mr Connah.
Moments after hearing a ‘loud bang’, other motorists saw Almond throwing a can into the bushes and shouting ‘no no no’ and repeatedly exclaiming ‘why me?’ while he was on the phone, prosecutor Eleanor Gleeson told the court. An unopened can of beer was found in the footwell of his car.
Almond later provided a breath test which revealed he had 68mg of alcohol per 100mls of breath, twice the limit for driving. His victim suffered multiple fractures and died later at Salford Royal Hospital.
The accident reconstruction unit of Greater Manchester Police carried out an investigation and concluded Almond was driving above the speed limit on the 40mph limit stretch of the road, although a precise speed could not be established.
Tributes from the family
Family and friends of Mr Connah wept in court as his twin sister Natalie read out a victim impact statement, as Almond watched from the dock. She tearfully described the ‘profound impact and pain’ of the loss and was still suffering sleepless nights and nightmares, adding: “My heart is broken and a piece of my soul is missing I will never be able to get back or be able to replace.”
A statement read out on his father’s behalf said the death ‘has broken me in a way I didn’t think was possible’ and ‘shattered my heart into pieces’. His son, he said, could light up any room with ‘his big smile’.
The victim’s long-time partner Kelly George wept as she told the court that the pair had been making plans to marry on December 12 this year. She said: “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I can’t face my wedding day without Dave on what should have been the happiest day of my life.”
Mr Connah’s step-daughter and two children also paid moving tributes.
A history of offending
The court heard Almond, of Marsh Road in Little Hulton, had 19 sets of previous convictions for 38 offences, including a five-year jail sentence for the manslaughter of his brother in 2002. He also served time in 2007 after he was caught running a red light while doing 80mph attempting to escape police, and for crashing a motorbike while twice the limit in a separate incident. He was back in court last year for being in charge of a vehicle while over the limit.
Mitigation
Ellen Shaw, defending, pointed to a sentencing report by probation which found he was ‘very remorseful’ for his actions and had become ‘very emotional’ when he was interviewed for the report. Ms Shaw pointed to a ‘gap’ in her client’s offending between 2007 and 2025 and said he had shown ‘genuine victim empathy’.
Sentencing remarks
Sentencing, Judge Kate Cornell told his victim’s family: “You must know, everyone here must know, nothing I can say today can ever bring David back. Nothing I do today can restore him to you and any sentence I pass will not be able to fully reflect the value of his lost life.”
Turning to Almond, Judge Cornell said he had carried out an ‘obviously illegal maneouvre’ and went on: “You admitted your part in this from the very beginning and you have expressed profound remorse. I accept that as genuine but that is of small comfort to the family and friends of the man you killed by your reckless and dangerous actions.”
Almond showed no reaction as he was jailed for nine years and told he would be eligible for early release six years into his sentence. He was also banned from driving for 14 years after he is released from prison.
About Carl Millar
Carl Millar is a highly respected and experienced drink driving solicitor who is the principal of Millars Solicitors.
Carl has been a specialist in road traffic law for many years and represents clients from all walks of life and all over the Country. He is well known for the dogged defending of his clients and robust cross examination of police officers and exert witnesses.
With a wealth of expertise in motoring law Carl is well placed to provide advice over the phone and deal with all road traffic matters in a calm and professional way.
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