A man is today beginning a 30-month prison sentence for causing a fatal crash in north Essex.

Philip Graham was sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday after a jury at an earlier hearing found him guilty of causing death by dangerous driving.

Motorcyclist Derek Foster, 37, of Winstanley Road, Saffron Walden, died after the crash on the B1054 at Hempstead in July last year.

The court heard that Graham, 30, of Quendon Place, Haverhill, had been driving his Ford Focus dangerously when he overtook another vehicle and crashed head-on with Mr Foster’s motorbike.

Officers from Essex Police’s serious collision investigation unit found the crash happened at a blind dip in the road and that Mr Foster had no time to take evasive action when the car came at him at speed on the wrong side of the road.

Senior investigating officer Inspector Keith Whiting said: “Mr Foster was travelling to work on his motorcycle having just said goodbye to his wife and two small girls.

“For reasons only known to him, Mr Graham decided to overtake at a spot where he could not see Mr Foster’s motorcycle travelling towards him and hidden in a dip in the road. It was a location well known to Mr Graham.

“Our thoughts remain with Rachael Foster and her family.”

Graham, who had pleaded not guilty, was also banned from driving for three years and ordered to take an extended driving test before getting back his licence.