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By JOSE RAMOS Published: 00:47 BST, 9 April 2025 | Updated: 00:53 BST, 9 April 2025
An unlicensed driver who killed a 21-year-old motorcyclist when he made a U-turn to go to the toilet has been jailed.Garry Arnold, 58, was driving a van when he decided to pull over as he needed the toilet and made a right turn onto a gravel area on November 4, 2022.He then crashed into Ben Holmes, who was riding a motorbike on Ranmore Common Road in Dorking, Surrey.The 58-year-old did not have enough time to complete the manoeuvre and failed to complete the turn and to take the speed of the motorbike into account, a police investigation found.Following the crash, when he spoke to police he gave officers the wrong name and date of birth and it was later found this was because he held a revoked license.The 21-year-old had recently finished his building surveying degree at Kingston University and had his visa and flights booked to go to Australia to work for a year. He was due to leave in late December before the tragic event.His parents, Stephen and Eleanor Holmes, paid tribute to their son as a ‘a warm and loving young man’.They said in a statement: ‘Ben’s sudden death has left our family devastated and heartbroken. Garry Arnold, 58, pictured, was driving a van when he decided to pull over as he needed the toilet and made a right turn onto a gravel area on November 4, 2022 He then crashed into Ben Holmes, pictured, who was riding a motorbike on Ranmore Common Road in Dorking, Surrey’Ben made us proud every single day. He was truly an amazing person, full of life and a warm and loving young man.’They added: ‘His death hit our family so hard and beyond all comprehension.’It’s indescribable. We never thought we would lose our son so young, leaving behind his brother.’After learning of Ben’s tragic death, his friends and work colleagues shared touching tributes to their much-loved and deeply missed friend.’ His parents added: ‘We would like to thank the determined approach that Surrey Police has taken in pursuing justice for Ben in what has been a complex investigation over the past two years.’Ben was out on his motorbike just after 4pm on Friday, November 4, 2022 when the collision occurred on Ranmore Common Road in Dorking.Arnold, of Banstead, was jailed for two years and four months after pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving, causing death by driving a vehicle whilst unlicensed and perverting the course of justice at an earlier hearing. The crash happened as Ben was riding a motorbike on Ranmore Common Road in Dorking, SurreyInvestigating Officer Amilia Bishop, from Surrey Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: ‘Our thoughts remain with Ben Holmes’ family and friends at this very difficult time – no family should ever have to endure the loss they have suffered.’Arnold not only performed a manoeuvre which he simply did not have the time to do, he then deliberately misled officers to cover up the fact that his driving licence had been revoked.’I would like to thank the members of the public who stopped at the scene to call emergency services and provide first aid. Officers and paramedics who attended tried desperately to save Ben’s life that day by performing CPR on Ben at the scene but sadly, their efforts were unsuccessful.’Arnold’s actions that day have robbed a family of their son – which they will have to live with for the rest of their lives.’I hope that the sentence imposed on him today demonstrates that we will pursue drivers who break the law – and that this can have fatal consequences.’
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Unlicensed driver who killed motorcyclist, 21, when he made a U-turn to go toilet is jailed
