A professional footballer, Lucas Akins, has been sentenced to 14 months in prison for causing the death of a cyclist in a road crash. The incident happened on March 17, 2022, in Netherton, West Yorkshire. Akins, 36, was driving his Mercedes G350 when he failed to stop at a give-way sign and pulled out onto Huddersfield Road, directly into the path of 33-year-old Adrian Daniel, a married father and keen cyclist.

Akins was driving with his children at the time, taking his eldest to a piano lesson. However, he did not see Mr. Daniel cycling on the road, and the crash led to the cyclist suffering a severe head injury. Mr. Daniel passed away 10 days later in the hospital.

Footage from Mr. Daniel’s helmet camera showed the footballer slowly pulling out onto the road, giving the cyclist no time to brake. Akins admitted to causing the death by careless driving, and a court heard how his failure to look properly before pulling out was to blame.

Mrs. Daniel, the victim’s wife, spoke in court about the pain her family has endured since her husband’s death. She said their lives have been shattered, and she has been unable to work due to the emotional toll. Mr. Daniel’s father also passed away before he could see justice for his son.

Akins, who has had a successful football career, including playing for Mansfield Town, expressed regret for his actions. His defense lawyer said Akins had a “momentary lapse in concentration” but understands the impact of his actions. The judge acknowledged the personal difficulties Akins had been facing but emphasized that the proper punishment was immediate jail time.

Akins was also banned from driving for two years. His current club, Mansfield Town, offered their condolences to the Daniel family and said they were reviewing Akins’ situation.