A DPD driver has been jailed over the death of a mother knocked down while crossing the road - with a judge calling for a change in the way delivery firms operate.
Kamil Zieba was driving at an "inappropriate" speed before he hit the pedestrian.
Jennifer Davies, 69, was fatally injured crossing the Seven Dials roundabout in Brighton. She died in hospital two days later.
Kamil Zieba - who had his son in the van at the time - has now been sentenced to three and a half years in prison.
During a sentencing hearing, Judge David Rennie took aim at delivery services that set time and parcels targets for workers.
He said he hoped the case would provide an opportunity to “influence changes to some of these practices” and avoid future tragedies.
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Judge Rennie said: “Putting purely commercial interest aside, I doubt that any right-minded person will see that as anything other than a disaster waiting to happen. In this case, that disaster led to a death and a devastated family.
“It is my sincere hope that those who are in a position to influence things are able to bring about or influence changes to some of these practices, because in my judgement, they create highly dangerous situations on our roads.
“If changes are not made, then other families, like the Davies family will be needlessly torn apart in the future.”
Zieba was previously found not guilty of causing death by dangerous driving following the incident on May 21, 2020.
He pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and appeared at Hove Crown Court for sentencing this afternoon.
Judge Rennie told him his driving was "careless and inconsiderate" and "fell not far short of dangerous driving".
He added that the case was “so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence can be justified”.
Judge David Rennie told him: “You were driving at a speed that was inappropriate for the prevailing conditions.
"You drove while using your phone, and when distracted in other ways.
"You failed to have proper regard to vulnerable road users such as pedestrians.
“The presence of your son in the van in the van at the time, indicates a more unusually serious degree of harm within the guidelines.”
Zieba, of Waterloo Street, Hove, was also disqualified from driving for four years and nine months.
He was told he would have to take an extended retest should be wish to re-obtain his licence to drive.
In his sentencing, the judge referenced a 40-minute video shown in court, which showed Zieba driving without his hands on the wheel, rolling a cigarette and using his personal mobile phone.
Judge Rennie said: “Anyone watching that video could be forgiven that it was only a matter of time before something terrible happened, and it did.
“It was the extremely careless way that you chose to drive that day that killed Mrs Davies and that was completely avoidable.”
Before passing his sentence, the judge added Zieba was a man of “previous good character with a clean driver’s licence.”
He added: “It is a tragedy for you and your family that you are to serve a prison sentence, but actions have consequences.”
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