Leeds Knights player pays tribute to ‘beautiful’ mum killed by drunk driver in Elland Road

Vanessa Barnes had just watched her son Adam play ice hockey at Planet Ice on December 10 last year, when she left the rink at about 7.30pm. As she walked along the pavement with her mother, she was struck by a Ford Transit van being driven by Jason Ward.

Ward had drunk six pints before getting behind the wheel, and was driving over the speed limit when he hit Mrs Barnes. At his sentencing hearing today, Leeds Crown Court heard the harrowing events of that evening as Ward ran off and left Mrs Barnes to die.

In a victim personal statement read out in court, Vanessa’s son Adam Barnes said his mum was an “extraordinary person who treated everyone with love and kindness”.

He said: “She was also a wife, a daughter, a sister, a carer, and a dear friend to so many. A beautiful, selfless, amazing human being, who was brutally taken from us by the irresponsible actions of a drunk driver.

“On the night of December 10, 2022, I was playing ice hockey for Leeds Knights, a team I’d been a part of for three years. My mum and dad had worked immensely hard and made so many sacrifices to enable me to play hockey at national league level .

“My mum came to every game and never missed an opportunity to tell me how proud she was. She would stand, week on week, with my Grandma, on the same bench jumping and screaming with excitement. With her outgoing personality and infectious laugh, she was well known in the rink by everyone and had made many special friends within the ice hockey community over the years."

“Every week after each game my mum would always wait outside the changing rooms for me. When I came out, she would squeeze me so hard, chatting and laughing before we said our goodbyes. Little did I know that that night would be our final goodbye before she was brutally killed by a coward who left her in the road to die with no care or compassion.

“No words will ever be able to pay tribute to how special my mum was. She was always happy, the most selfless, loving person I will ever know. She lit up every room with her vibrant personality and infectious laugh. She was loved by everyone and will be missed every single day. A sentence will be served but I believe there is no limit to the never-ending suffering and grief we now feel as a family.”

Ward, of Throstle Road, Middleton, was quickly identified as a suspect and arrested the following day. He pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving while over the prescribed limit and failing to stop at the scene of a collision.

The 52-year-old was jailed for eight years and four months and must serve two thirds of his sentence in prison. His disqualification from driving was extended for 66 months.