South Tyneside biker cleared of causing death of 'gentleman' Sunderland worker

Thirty-year-old Nissan worker Frazer Golden died following the incident in the Durham Dales nearly two years ago.

David John Frost, now 35, of Lyon Street, Hebburn, was charged with causing death by careless driving.

The case against him has now been dropped after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) concluded that there was no realistic prospect of a conviction.

A CPS spokesman today said: "Any prosecution would have to prove that his riding had fallen below the standard of a reasonably competent rider.

"But the overall evidential picture did not provide a realistic prospect of conviction for the offence of causing death by careless driving."

The spokesman added that police forensic evidence supported Mr Frost's claim "that he was riding at a safe speed in the correct part of the road immediately before the incident".

Mr Frost was formally cleared of the charge at Durham Crown Court.

Last Friday's hearing followed an independent review of the decision not to continue with the case.

The CPS spokesman said: "At the conclusion of that process the North-East Chief Crown Prosecutor, Andrew Penhale, reviewed the file and decided that the CPS should formally offer no evidence.

"He met the Golden family to explain his decision, two days’ ahead of the final hearing at Durham Crown Court.”

The crash happened on Sunday, April 9, 2017, on the A689, near St John's Chapel, in Weardale, at around 2pm.

Police say Mr Golden's Honda bike was involved in a collision with a Yahama motor cycle heading in the opposite direction.

Mr Golden, who lived with partner Helen Gaughan, 24, in Seaham, died after his bike hit a dry stone wall.

His distraught family described him shortly afterwards as "Golden by name and golden by nature" and added that he was a "real gentleman, a thoughtful and trustworthy family guy".

Scores of bikers from across the region later followed his funeral cortege through Sunderland to his service at Sunderland Crematorium.

His coffin was driven by bike in a hearse based on his dream Harley Davidson motorbike.

Prior to the funeral, his father, Dan Golden, from Chapel Garth, in Sunderland, said: “It’s every parent’s worst nightmare that they should go before you, so we would love to give him a good send-off. It’s the last thing we can do for him.”

Mr Golden was also survived by mum Linda and sisters Louise and Faye.