Joshua Smith, 31, of Holloway, Pershore, was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving and has been jailed for six years
14:04, 15 Jan 2026
A dangerous driver high on cocaine in an unroadworthy car was today jailed for six years after killing a biker and seriously injuring another.
Joshua Smith, of Holloway, Pershore, was convicted of causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving a motor vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the specified limit.
The 31-year-old had been driving his orange BMW 1 Series at speed in the direction of Pershore in Worcestershire, away from junction 6 of the M5, when he lost control and hit two motorcyclists travelling in the opposite direction on August 15, 2024.
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There were wet conditions on the A4538 Pershore Lane where the fatal collision happened and Smith’s BMW was later found to have dangerously defective tyres and brakes.
He lost control on a bend and entered the opposing carriageway where he collided with a red Triumph Bonneville motorbike, causing life-changing injuries to the rider.
He next struck the grey Yamaha motorbike being ridden by 52-year-old father of three and grandfather of four Andrew Hirons, from Evesham, who was thrown from his bike.
Despite the best efforts of emergency services, Mr Hirons was pronounced dead at the scene.
Smith (pictured above) was under the influence of cocaine while driving - testing positive in a roadside drugs swipe conducted after the collision, which was later confirmed in a blood toxicology report that showed he was over the legal limit for the drug.
A forensic vehicle examiner found multiple dangerous faults with Smith’s car including the nearside rear outer brake pad being completely worn out, resulting in the metal backing plate rubbing on the rear disc.
It was noted this would cause a reduced brake performance and imbalance on the braking system meaning decreased stopping power, increased stopping distance and in some cases total brake failure.
Both rear tyres were defective with the offside rear tyre only having a tread depth on the inner two grooves of between 0.17mm and 1.02mm and the nearside tyre of between 0.20mm and 1.6mm across all four grooves - below the legal minimum required depth of 1.6mm.
The offside rear tyre also had a section of exposed cords on its inner edge, and the tyre wall had also started to split open. In wet or slippery road conditions this would give significantly less grip and could have a contributory factor in the collision, the report said.
Today, Thursday, January 15, at at Worcester Crown Court, Her Honour Judge Gilmore sentenced him to six years and disqualified him from driving for eight years.
Speaking after the case, Det Sgt Rose Hughes, of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit (South), said: “No sentence can ever compensate for the tragic loss of life in this case, but we hope that the term handed to Smith today will go some way to seeing justice done for Andrew’s family and friends.
“Smith showed a total disregard for the safety of the public when he drove his car under the influence of cocaine that day, driving in wet conditions with barely any tread on his tyres and worn-out brakes.
“We hope this sentence and the tragic outcome will teach a sobering lesson about the reason for not taking drugs before getting behind the wheel and how important it is to maintain your vehicle – especially the tyres and braking system.
“Please check your tyre pressures and tread depths weekly and make sure your car is regularly serviced too for the safety of all road users. They really can be the difference between life and death as this case tragically shows.”