Scunthorpe driver’s jail term increased after fatal crash on A18

A prison sentence handed to a Scunthorpe driver over a fatal crash on the A18 has been increased after judges ruled the original term was too low. Jack Garwell, 24, of Hilton Avenue, Scunthorpe, was initially jailed for three years and six months after admitting causing death by dangerous driving. That sentence has now been raised to six years following a successful appeal. The case centred on a head on collision in January 2024. Court proceedings heard that Garwell had been driving in darkness on an unlit stretch of the A18 when he attempted to overtake three vehicles. In doing so, he pulled onto the opposite side of the road at a speed said to be above 75mph. He then collided with an oncoming motorbike, with fatal consequences. Garwell later pleaded guilty at Sheffield Crown Court in November 2025. Sentencing him at that hearing, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC condemned the manoeuvre and described it as "an appalling decision to overtake at that time and in those conditions". Despite that criticism, the original sentence was later referred to the Court of Appeal by the Solicitor General, who argued that it was unduly lenient. Senior judges reviewed the punishment and decided that the prison term should be increased by two years and six months, taking it from three years and six months to a total of six years. The ruling marks the latest development in a case that has drawn local attention because of Garwell's links to North Lincolnshire. As he is from Scunthorpe, the proceedings have been of particular interest in the area. Causing death by dangerous driving is one of the most serious offences that can come before the courts in motoring cases. In this instance, the court heard that the fatal crash followed a risky overtaking manoeuvre carried out in poor conditions, on a dark road without street lighting, and at a speed well above what would be considered safe. The Court of Appeal's decision means the sentence originally imposed by the Crown Court has been formally revised to reflect the seriousness of the case as judged by the higher court. The appeal judges' intervention underlines the view that the punishment first handed down did not sufficiently match the gravity of the offending. The details reported in court set out both the circumstances of the collision and the reasons why the sentence was reconsidered. The revised jail term now stands as the final outcome of that appeal process. This case continues to be of interest locally because of the defendant's Scunthorpe address and the wider impact of a fatal collision involving a driver from the area. The Lincoln Post has not independently verified the claims presented in court, and the report is based on the evidence and decisions outlined during the legal proceedings.