ONLY 19 days after passing his driving test, Trowbridge’s Lewis Atkinson was lucky to survive a collision at the notorious A350 Lacock crossroads which resulted in the death of another driver.

The 23-year-old, of Bradford Road, appeared at North West Wiltshire Magistrates on Thursday and pleaded guilty to causing the death of Darren Honeyball after driving without due care and attention.

The court heard how Mr Honeyball, of Dakota Close, Bowerhill, Melksham, had been travelling south from Chippenham along the A350 towards Melksham in his BMW M5 on February 28 at 7.31pm when he reached the Lacock crossroads.

A dash-cam video from inside Mr Honeyball’s car was shown to the court which showed the 40-year-old moving in to the right-hand lane to pass a van.

The right rear edge of his car was then struck by the front of Atkinson’s Fiat Punto. Atkinson was travelling north on the opposite side of the A350 and had been attempting to turn right towards Cantax Hill, leading to Reybridge and Lacock.

The collision sent Mr Honeyball’s car into a slide before it collided with a tree on the opposite side of the road.

Prosecuting Anna Humphreys: “The video does show Mr Atkinson should have seen him (Mr Honeyball), he was there to be seen.

“Mr Atkinson had passed his test just 19 days previously and he said in an interview he saw the van and felt he had enough time to turn in front of the van but didn’t see Mr Honeyball in the other lane.”

The court heard that Mr Honeyball was not wearing a seatbelt when the collision occurred and died as a result of his injuries.

Defending Terry McCarthy said: “He (Atkinson) has entered an early guilty plea and I ask that you give him credit for that plea.

“He came to the junction, has seen the headlights of the slower moving vehicle and thought he had enough time to move.”

The hearing was adjourned so that a probation report could be made on Atkinson and allow a verdict to be reached on the same day to avoid a two to three week delay.

As well as receiving a community order for 12 months which requires Atkinson to perform 240 hours unpaid work, he was also disqualified from driving for 36 months and required to undertake an extended driving test when his ban is lifted. He was also ordered to pay costs of £145.

Since the collision changes have been made to the Lacock crossroads following a number of fatal accidents over the past few years.