Selfie-taking driver jailed for A11 death of scooter rider

Amber Potter, 23, exchanged a series of messages with her partner and took photos at the wheel while on a journey from Glastonbury to Norfolk, before the fatal crash at Roudham.

She was jailed for three and a half years at Norwich Crown Court on Wednesday for causing the death by dangerous of David Sinar, 64, who was knocked from his Lambretta by her Vauxhall Corsa.

READ MORE: Motorcyclist dies in crash on A11 between Thetford and Larling

At the time, she was driving at around 70mph and he was travelling at about 40mph, but she failed to slow down or overtake him because she was distracted by her phone.

The court heard she was in the process of sending a selfie picture of her sticking her tongue out and winking to her boyfriend at the moment she drove into the back of the scooter, which Mr Sinar, from North Walsham, had bought earlier that day.

David Sinar, a keen motorbike rider and cyclist, died when his Lambretta scooter was hit by a car on the A11 (Image: Family handout)

He died from his injuries at the scene following the crash on the dual carriageway at Roudham at about 9.30pm on September 15, 2021.

Chris Youell, prosecuting, said Potter had taken pictures of herself and exchanged phone and Facebook messages with her boyfriend and others throughout her journey from Glastonbury, in Somerset, where she had visited friends, to her home in Norwich. 

Of 55 messages found on her phone during the period of the journey 20 were ones she had sent together with audio clips with background road noise suggesting she was driving at the time, he added.

READ MORE: Norwich woman to go on trial over fatal A11 scooter crash

She later claimed to police that the rear lights on Mr Sinar’s scooter had not been on when she crashed into the back of him but CCTV at a garage had proved it was lit. 

Judge Katharine Moore told her: “He was there for all drivers to see - all those who had their eyes on the road that is.”

Potter had been taking selfies and exchanging Facebook messages prior to the fatal crash in September 2021 (Image: Newsquest)

Potter, of Livingstone Street in Norwich, pleaded guilty to death by dangerous driving. 

The court was told she had been so distracted that skid marks on the road proved she had not braked before hitting the scooter at 70mph.

Jailing her for three-and-a-half years, Judge Moore said her use of a phone to exchange selfies while at the wheel had been “gravely inappropriate” and had caused a “grossly avoidable distraction”. 

Matthew McNiff, mitigating, said using her phone periodically on the journey had been “sporadic stupidity”. 

“She does recognise the terrible damage that she has done, that a life has been lost and that she has to live with that,” he added.

“She is not callous. Her remorse is genuine and heartfelt.” 

David Sinar after a charity cycle ride. His family said they were devastated by his death (Image: Family handout)He died after a collision on the northbound A11 between Thetford and Larling in September 2021 (Image: Google)

Shortly before his death, Mr Sinar, a former vehicle inspector and motor parts delivery driver, had semi-retired to spend more time with his 95-year-old mother who had moved to Norfolk from Birmingham to be close to him. 

His family said he was a "very competent" motorcyclist who had over the years owned everything from Harley-Davidsons to scooters.

He had bought the new Lambretta on the day of his death.

He was also a passionate cyclist and over the years had raised tens of thousands of pounds for charities on rides including from John O’Groats to Land's End despite having recovered from cancer in 2011.

READ MORE: 'Devastated' family pays tribute to much-loved biker after crash

In an emotional statement, which was read in court, describing the family’s devastating loss, his wife said he had been her “best friend and soulmate” and that he had been “cruelly taken from us”.

“I will never forgive Amber Potter for what she has done to our family,” she added. “She could have avoided it if she had simply obeyed the rules of the road.”

Judge Moore told Potter his family had been left in “complete devastation” by her actions.

She said she was a “kind, compassionate, hard working and caring individual in normal circumstances” but that her actions had been criminal.  

Banning her from driving for 45 months and ordering her to take a mandatory retest, she added: “No life can be gauged by the length of a sentence.”