A man who killed a motorist after recklessly driving an unlicensed and uninsured motorcycle has been jailed for 18 months.

Christian Sousa-Matias, 24, was handed the sentence yesterday after he pleaded guilty to causing the death of Allen Trott, 46, through reckless driving and by riding an uninsured vehicle.

Puisne Judge Shade Subair Williams, who gave her ruling during a 20-minute Supreme Court hearing, reminded Sousa-Mathias that he was at a point in his life to make better choices.

She told him: “You are a young man, you have received a sentence that you can eventually come back from. Mr Trott does not have that choice.”

Mrs Justice Subair Williams added: “Don’t let this be something wasted. Think about what you do with your life.”

The court heart that Sousa-Matias, of no fixed abode, was seen overtaking “multiple vehicles” on September 19, 2021, along South Road in Warwick when he collided with Mr Trott, who was riding a motorbike.

Mr Trott, who was on his way to visit his father at the time, spent 11 days in hospital before succumbing to his injuries. He was the twelfth road fatality of that year.

Sousa-Matias was also treated for a broken arm.

Police investigators learnt that Sousa-Matias did not have a valid licence and that his motorcycle had fraudulent licence plates.

They also discovered that the vehicle was also unlicensed and uninsured.

Blood tests taken while Sousa-Matias was in hospital showed that he also had cannabis in his system, though Mrs Justice Subair Williams said that this did not factor into her final judgment.

Sousa-Matias pleaded guilty on April 3 to causing death by reckless driving and causing death by riding an uninsured vehicle.

Further charges of riding an unlicensed motorcycle, the use of fraudulent documents, riding without a licence and dangerous driving were held on file.

Paul Wilson, for the Crown, argued that Sousa-Matias should serve between 18 months and two years behind bars for his reckless driving, with a further five years off the roads for the uninsured driving.

Elizabeth Christopher, for the defence, argued that her client should get only one year of jail time followed by five years of probation.

Several victim impact statements were submitted before the sentencing, including one from Mr Trott’s fiancée, who described him as “her world” and hoped to build a family with him.

Mrs Justice Subair Williams said that the number of statements received reflected how Sousa-Matias’s actions not only affected Mr Trott but his loved ones.

She sentenced Sousa-Matias to 18 months’ imprisonment for causing death by reckless driving and an additional 14 months’ imprisonment for causing death by riding without insurance.

He was also given a five-year ban from driving for each offence.

Both sentences will run concurrently with time in custody taken into consideration.

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