“Inattentive” driver with “comprehensive loss of concentration” who drove on wrong side of the road and killed cyclist jailed for two years

A driver described as “completely inattentive” with a “comprehensive loss of concentration” has been jailed for two years and disqualified from driving for six, after he killed a cyclist by driving on the wrong side of the road on a bend in Sheffield.

Long Wan, 33, a teacher from Ash Grove, London, was driving his Mazda from Manchester when he hit 55-year-old Richard Bower who was cycling to his home from the opposite side on Rivelin Valley Road, Sheffield, on 29 September 2023.

Sheffield Crown Court heard it could not be explained why Wan had ended up on the opposite side of the road as neither excessive speed nor phone usage were identified as possible contributing factors.

Witnesses described how Bower, an experienced cyclist who had been wearing hi-vis clothing and a helmet, “stood no chance” when Wan’s car crossed into his path from the opposite direction. He was taken hospital with life-threatening injuries and died three weeks later.

The BBC reports that Wan, who previously pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, was jailed for two years and disqualified from driving for six. He was told that he would have to take an extended driving test before he could drive again after his release.

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The prosecutor noted that Wan, who had moved to the UK from Hong Kong, considered himself to be an inexperienced driver, and that he had been maintaining the 40mph speed limit but lost control of his car while navigating the bend.

A collision investigation report said that it couldn’t establish the speed at which the driver was travelling, but added that it should have been possible to drive along the bend safely even at speeds of up to 60mph.

Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, said even if Wan had been travelling above the speed limit, it would not have been "a widely excessive speed" and between 30-40mph.

Judge Richardson said speed had not been “the real issue” but rather Wan’s “complete inattention and a comprehensive loss of concentration”.

Passing sentence, he told him: “Your very bad driving took the life of a decent man, who had a whole life ahead of him with his wife who had that very day retired from work. You have wrecked her life.”

Christopher Aspinall, mitigating, said the events of that day had “haunted” his client, who wished to extend “an unreserved apology” to Mr Bower's family.

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Bower’s wife described her partner of 34 years as the heart and soul of the family. She said: “Our world has been destroyed and our grief is overwhelming. He was the kindest soul that any of us had the privilege to meet. We loved him deeply.”

Bower was also the songwriter for the alternative music band RepoMen. Simon Tiller, one of his bandmates, told road.cc that they are hosting a memorial concert for him and also creating a songwriting bursary in his name.

“Ric’s bike was how he got to work every day,” Tiller said. “It was purely transport. But even on a heavy hybrid, he rode up the fearsome Hagg Hill because that was the way home! He was our prolific songwriter and his legacy lives on in the 100 or so recordings we made together.

“So we’re planning to work with local Sheffield music college, Water Bear, to create a songwriting bursary in his name.”