Delivery driver killed girl, 7, overtaking on dip in the road colliding head-on with car

SUB-CONTRACTOR ADMITTED CAUSING DEATH OF CHILD AND IS JAILED FOR SIX YEARS

- BY RICHARD VAMPLEW

A DELIVERY driver who killed a seven-year-old girl and seriously injured her father when he performed a dangerous overtake in a hidden dip has been jailed for six years.

Van driver Veselin Dudenski, 39, admitted causing the death of Elsie Gascoigne by dangerous driving when he collided head-on with the car being driven by her father, Jamie.

Dudenski, of Cherry Avenue, Branston, Lincolnshire, also pleaded guilty to causing serious injury to Mr Gascoigne on January 3 this year.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Dudenski was working as a subcontracted delivery driver when he attempted the overtake on the B1202 at Metheringham Heath.

Claire Holmes, prosecuting, said Elsie was a rear passenger in a blue Kia car and travelling home from a trip shopping and visiting McDonalds when the vehicle was struck head-on by Dudenski's white Citroen Relay van at around 5.45pm.

Miss Holmes told the court Dudenski had already overtaken a Ford Ranger and then a short time later moved onto the wrong side of the road to pass another unknown vehicle in the hidden dip.

The driver of the Ford Ranger said the first overtake was safe but described the second pass as "silly," the court heard.