The legal proceedings have concluded for a lorry driver who caused a fatal accident on the M1 and subsequently fled the country. The incident, occurring in 2018, resulted in the tragic death of a passenger, and the driver was extradited back to the UK from Bulgaria.
- Fethi Kavas, the lorry driver, was involved in a collision where he crashed into two stationary cars, leading to one fatality.
- Following the crash, Kavas fled to Turkey, avoiding charges of causing death by dangerous driving.
- Interpol issued a red notice leading to Kavas’ extradition to the UK in early 2023.
- Kavas pleaded guilty to all charges and received a sentence of over four years in prison.
The lorry driver, Fethi Kavas, was involved in a tragic incident in 2018 on the M1 motorway, where he drove into two stationary vehicles, causing severe consequences. Tragically, David Levett, a 53-year-old passenger in one of those cars, succumbed to his injuries nearly a month after the collision, inflicting deep emotional scars on his family. Another individual, aged 45, endured serious injuries as well. After causing such devastation, Kavas was initially arrested but subsequently escaped to Turkey, eluding the legal system.
Despite his flight, a red Interpol notice in 2023 facilitated Kavas’ return to the UK from Bulgaria, where he was apprehended earlier this year. Upon his arrival, he faced the grave charges of causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving. His trial at Northampton Crown Court culminated in a guilty plea, reflecting the undeniable weight of his actions.
The court sentenced Kavas to four years and four months in prison. His actions not only devastated the Levett family, shattering them with the loss of their beloved David, but also burdened them with a prolonged wait for justice. David’s sister poignantly expressed her family’s enduring sense of limbo over the last six years, exacerbated by the loss of their father in 2021, who passed without witnessing the case’s resolution. With David’s mother also grappling with the compounded losses of her son and husband, the emotional toll is profound.
Detective Sergeant Janette Maitland, a leading figure in the investigation, emphasised the lingering agony felt by Levett’s family—a pain unalleviated even by the eventual sentencing of Kavas. She expressed her hope that the closure of legal proceedings might offer some solace to the grieving family, albeit recognising that no legal measure could truly compensate for their loss.
The sentencing of Fethi Kavas closes a protracted legal chapter, offering some semblance of justice for the bereaved family of David Levett.
