A MOTORCYCLIST who slammed into a bicycle while trying to overtake a car – killing the rider – has been jailed.

In an emotive victim personal statement read out at court yesterday the cyclist’s daughter, Natalia Baeva, called her father ‘the best person in our life.’

Mitchell Young was charged last year with one count of causing death by dangerous driving in relation to the fatal crash near Kidlington on October 15 2018.

Despite first denying the offence, the 22-year-old of North Aston Road, Duns Tew, near Bicester, had a change of heart and pleaded guilty.

Oxford Crown Court heard at his sentencing hearing yesterday how Young had been travelling north on a Suzuki motorbike along the A4260 Banbury Road.

Cyclist Jurij Odinocenko was travelling southbound along the same road, after coming back from a successful job interview.

At about 6.30pm Mr Odinocenko, 63, of Brookside Court, Woodstock, was riding a Raleigh bicycle and had stopped near to Sturdys Castle pub, waiting in his lane to turn right towards Woodstock.

CCTV footage played to the court of what happened next, showed a Range Rover drive northbound with Young behind on his motorbike.

In a bid to overtake the car, Young ‘drifted’ into the wrong side of the road where Mr Odinocenko was waiting.

The motorcycle then struck the bicycle at speed.

Despite the efforts of paramedics who rushed to the collision site, Mr Odinocenko died from multiple injuries at the scene, and Young was treated in hospital for his own injuries.

Natalia Baeva, the victim’s daughter, read out a personal statement on behalf of the family yesterday.

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Describing him, she said: “He was not just the best father in the world, he was the best person in our life. This bereavement is the hardest and [most] irreplaceable loss for our entire family. He was loved by everyone who knew him.”

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In mitigation, defence barrister Kevin Marland said his client – who has no previous convictions and a clean driving licence – was remorseful for what he had done.

Sentencing, Judge Nigel Daly jailed Young for 28 months and ordered he pay a victim surcharge. He was also disqualified from driving for four years and two months and must take an extended re-test.