Lorry driver jailed for fatal five-vehicle A1 crash

A lorry driver who admitted causing death by dangerous driving after a crash involving five vehicles on the A1 has been jailed for four years and nine months.

Mindaugas Borisas was driving a Mercedes lorry southbound between Stibbington and Water Newton near Peterborough on 30 July when he was involved in a collision with a black Skoda Octavia, a red DAF lorry, a blue Kia Ceed and a black Mercedes-Benz Vito van, police said.

The Skoda driver, 73-year-old Geoff Brock from Bar Hill, near Cambridge, died at the scene.

At a sentencing hearing at Cambridge Crown Court on Monday, Borisas, 56, of Spalding, in Lincolnshire, was also banned from driving for 12 years and five months.

Det Insp Craig Wheeler, of Cambridgeshire Police, said: "For whatever reason, which only Borisas will know, his inattention caused a catastrophic collision, which left a trail of destruction and a family without a loved one.

"Quite simply, this collision should never have happened."

In a statement, Geoff Brock's family described him as "the heart of our family", adding that he was lifelong Everton fan, "with a soft spot for Cambridge United".

"Geoff was a man defined by his quiet intelligence and profound kindness," they said.

"He was a loving husband, a proud father, and a cherished grandfather.

"His long and distinguished career spanned service as a Supply Officer in the Royal Navy and key leadership roles in education, culminating in his role as a director in education and teacher at his family's language school.

"Even in retirement, he dedicated his time to voluntarily teaching Ukrainian refugees, becoming a treasured friend and counsellor to his students.

"Geoff is sorely missed by all who knew him. As we move forward from the sentencing, our focus remains on supporting each other and cherishing the memory of the wonderful and kind man that he was."

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