Dangerous driver jailed after fleeing to Turkey following collision on M1 in Northamptonshire which killed 53-year-old

Watch more of our videos on Shots! and live on Freeview channel 276

A dangerous driver, who fled to Turkey after a collision on the M1 in Northamptonshire which killed a 53-year-old vulnerable man, has been jailed. The 64-year-old fled to Turkey in 2018 after a collision on January 28 of that year where he drove his lorry into the back of two stationary cars on the M1 southbound carriageway, just before junction 17. David Levett, a 53-year-old man who has cerebral palsy, was a passenger in the back of his carers' car.

The carer's brother-in-law called him [the carer] to say that his Volvo had broken down in lane one between junctions 17 and 18, where there was no hard shoulder as it was a four lane smart motorway. He pulled up behind him and put his hazard lights on.

Fethi Kavas.

However, Kavas collided with the two cars. David was taken to hospital but died of his injuries just under a month later.

A 45-year-old man also suffered serious injuries as a result of the collision. A red alert was issued for Kavas' arrest in 2023 and he was extradited from Bulgaria in February of this year. In her victim impact statement, which was read out in court, David's sister said: "In this six-year period, we have felt in limbo as there has been no closure for us as a family regarding the tragic passing of David.

"Sadly, our father passed away in February 2021, without having any closure regarding the outcome of the case. My father loved David very much and missed him every day. "My mother, who is now 80, has had to live with the passing of her son David, and then her husband, and both have had a big impact on her mental wellbeing."

Lead investigator Detective Sergeant Janette Maitland added: "No sentence will make up for the loss of David Levett. He was a much-loved brother and son, and six years on, the pain of his passing is still at the forefront of his loved ones' minds. "Their loss has been compounded by the time it has taken to get Fethi Kavas back to the UK and see him brought to justice.

I am pleased that we have managed to do that, and I hope the conclusion of this case allows the family to feel some sense of closure. "I also hope this case demonstrates Northamptonshire Police's determination to not give up and to do as much as we can to ensure justice is done. "My thoughts continue to be with David's family, especially his sister and his mum, and I wish them both the best for the future."

Kavas was sentenced to four years and four months in prison.

References

^ Visit Shots! now (www.shotstv.com)