A DELIVERY driver has been sentenced to a suspended jail term after the judge who originally locked him up freed him from jail.

Anthony Bull, 62, was at the wheel of a Telegraph & Argus van on November 16 last year when it crashed on the A65 at Hellifield in North Yorkshire, causing serious injury to Diane Proctor.

Last month, The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC, jailed Bull, of Hollings Court, Hollings Street, Bingley, for 16 months after he pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving. But the judge said he was deeply troubled by the case and rescinded the sentence after three days. Bull was released on bail and resentenced on Friday when he received 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, with 200 hours of unpaid work. He must undertake a rehabilitation activity requirement and he was banned from driving for two years.

Judge Durham Hall said Bull had made a gross error of judgement when he overtook an HGV and struck Mrs Proctor’s car, but that was set against an otherwise impeccable driving record. “You made a mistake, and a bad one, but you have shown nothing but remorse,” the judge said. Bull had excellent references from his employer and he cared for his ill wife.