Murat Karakas, 51, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison after being found guilty of manslaughter following the death of Richard Radbourne. The tragic incident occurred on March 3 in Tamworth, when Karakas, armed with a bat, deliberately drove his Audi Q3 into Radbourne, who was riding his Harley Davidson during a high-speed chase involving Karakas’ son, Max.
The court heard that Karakas had armed himself with a small rounders bat after learning of a disagreement between his son and Radbourne, an HGV driver. When Radbourne pursued Max Karakas, driving at speeds exceeding 70mph on roads with a 30mph limit, Karakas decided to intervene by using his vehicle to stop him. He swerved into Radbourne’s path, colliding with the motorcyclist head-on.
Radbourne was thrown from his bike and suffered fatal injuries. Despite the efforts of paramedics and passers-by, he died at the scene. A post-mortem examination revealed multiple traumatic injuries as the cause of death.
Judge Kristina Montgomery KC highlighted the deliberate nature of Karakas’ actions, stating that he had used his vehicle as a “blockade” and that the collision was inevitable. She added that while Karakas showed some remorse, his failure to take full accountability for his actions was evident.
Karakas was also found to have attempted to conceal the bat after the crash by passing it to a family member. The judge sentenced him to serve two-thirds of his 11-year prison sentence before being eligible for release on licence. Upon release, he will be banned from driving for five years and must take an extended driving test before being allowed to drive again.
In a statement read in court, Radbourne’s father, Kevin, described his son as having a “wicked sense of humour and a cheeky smile.” He expressed the devastating impact of the loss, saying, “We are left with a void that can never be filled.”
This case serves as a tragic reminder of the consequences of road rage and the importance of accountability for one’s actions.
