Crash driver was on wrong side of road

A POLISH motorist who killed a man when he drove on the wrong side of the road in Suffolk is facing a prison sentence.

Dariusz Lagoda pleaded guilty at Ipswich Crown Court to causing the death of Matthew Castleton by driving dangerously.

The court heard that in February this year Lagoda was driving a Volkswagen Golf on the A12 at Thorington.

Matthew McNiff, mitigating, said the 28-year-old was driving in the dark on an unlit road in a country which was foreign to him.

“He erred and drove on the wrong side of the road causing this deeply sad accident,” added Mr McNiff.

The crash, in which Lagoda suffered a serious injury to his leg, happened on the A12 close to the turning for Thorington, near Blythburgh, at 5.55pm on February 20 and left the road closed for five hours.

Mr Castleton, 28, of London Road South, Lowestoft, was driving the other vehicle involved and died as a result of his injuries.

He worked at Felixstowe Docks and had been commuting to work on the A12 for several years.

He was well known in the community having played for Lowestoft and District Table Tennis cadet school and through his involvement with London Road Baptist Church.

Judge John Devaux said there were no aggravating features in the case and Lagoda had a good driving record previously and no criminal convictions.

He said: “I am satisfied that his remorse is entirely genuine. He was himself injured quite severely in this accident. The victim's family are sympathetic to the defendant.”

Judge Devaux said the offence was at the lower end of the scale of seriousness despite its consequences and indicated that the maximum sentence was likely to be 12 months in prison.

He adjourned sentencing to May 24 at 3pm so Mr Castleton's family could attend the court hearing.

Lagoda who has been staying at an Ipswich bail hostel since his arrest was released from court on conditional bail.