Amazon Prime lorry driver jailed for killing father-of-two

A lorry driver has been jailed for nine years for killing a father-of-two as he tried to make a U-turn moments after pulling out of an Amazon Prime depot. 

Matthew Wright allegedly did not see Nigel Osler in his mirrors when he carried out what the victim's wife called 'a highly dangerous manoeuvre' at the A617/A60 crossroads junction in Mansfield.

Wright, whose employer had rented the lorry from Amazon, was in the wrong lane for turning right and as a result turned in front of a Yamaha motorbike, causing a collision. 

Mr Osler, a 61-year-old grandfather from Derbyshire, was rushed to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham but his family made the agonising decision to switch off his life support machine.

Jailing 45-year-old Wright for nine years, Judge Stuart Rafferty KC said: 'In just a few short minutes - or even not that long - a life was lost and it should not have been. The devastation you caused is immeasurable and of course your life has changed also.

'Whatever sentence I give you, your life will never be the same again and whatever sentence I give you will not bring back Mr Osler.

'It was not your intention to kill, you are not charged with murder, you are charged with motorised manslaughter and no one sets out to cause a death in this way.'

Nottingham Crown Court heard the collision happened in the early hours of 12 July 2023 – moments after Wright had departed the Amazon depot in Sherwood Way South where his employer had rented one of their lorries. 

Laura Pitman, prosecuting, said Mr Osler was riding to work and was driving within the speed limit on a motorcycle which had no defects and he had no alcohol or drugs in his system.

The prosecutor said Wright had picked up a full load and was in the wrong lane when he made a last-minute decision to turn right across four lanes rather than drive an extra mile to a roundabout and turn around safely. She said instead, he began carrying out a sudden U-turn and collided with the victim's motorbike. 

Miss Pitman said: 'He later told the police he could see the light of the motorcycle coming in and out of view and thought it went into the left-hand lane to go straight on.

'He also claimed the motorcycle had been weaving on the approach to the junction but that is not right as a witness saw what happened and had dash cam footage and on it there was nothing to suggest this.'

Miss Pitman said Mr Osler suffered multiple broken bones and was taken to the Queen's Medical Centre where he died. 

In her victim impact statement, Mr Osler's wife said: 'Your actions that day took Nige away from us and I despise what you have done to our family.

'One of the worst days was collecting Nige's ashes and our son held on to them as we drove home with tears pouring down his face. You need to visualise the pain you have caused.

'He was known as 'Mr Health and Safety' at work, he did not tolerate sloppy drivers, checking everything. If only you had been so conscientious. That day, in the most horrific way, you ended his life.

'You made a conscious decision to make a highly dangerous manoeuvre and that decision killed him. You left our kind, funny, caring Nige lying on the road.'

Wright, a father of two teenagers, of Leeson Avenue, Charnock Richard, Chorley, Lancashire, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and has no previous convictions of any kind. 

As well as the jail term, the judge disqualified Wright from driving for 11 years. Nottinghamshire Police does not have a custody photograph of the defendant. 

Mark Friend, mitigating, said: 'Causing the death of Mr Osler has left him with guilt which will remain with him for the rest of his days. He is a man of previous good character with no convictions, cautions or reprimands.

'It is his first time dealing with the criminal justice system, the court can be satisfied there will be no further offending and this will forever represent his only conviction.'