A van driver who was using his phone seconds before he hit an 85-year-old man in Wakefield has been jailed for five years.

Qabir Hussain, 54, of Lovaine Grove, Wakefield, was checking emails on his phone just moments before he collided with pedestrian David Brooke as he crossed Barnsley Road on 17 January 2022.

Paying tribute to David Brooke, his granddaughter said: “My grandad should still be here. The day you took him away from me and my family will live with me forever. 

 “You took the kindest, funniest, most loving man, everyone loved him. He enjoyed life and his family. Most of all his wife, my grandma; you have broken her.

“I miss his voice and hearing his stories, his smile and the way he said he loved me. All I have now is memories of my grandad. We love and miss him every day.”

Police analysis of Hussain’s phone showed that the device had been open for most of the journey, and had been used to access emails and different web pages.

Hussain used the same phone to dial 999 minutes after the fatal collision.

DS Nina Roper from the Major Collision Enquiry Team added: “This case highlights the heartbreaking consequences that can come from a lapse of concentration at the wheel.

“We are determined to continue educating road users as part of our Vision Zero ambitions to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the roads. If you are tempted to reach for your phone whilst driving, please think of David and his family.”