A MOTORCYCLIST who killed another biker in a head-on crash has been banned from the roads.

David Farr made a dangerous overtake of a white van on Beaulieu Road through the New Forest on February 10 2017. He had failed to check the road ahead was clear.

As a result, he collided with a motorbike travelling in the opposite direction.

The bike's rider, 29-year-old Janek Szarzynski, of Fareham, suffered serious head injuries and died later that evening in hospital.

Farr, 50, initially pleaded not guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. On the first day of a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court, he changed his plea to guilty.

The defendant, of Lepe Road in Exbury, was seriously injured himself in the collision. He was treated at Southampton General Hospital for injuries which were initially life-threatening.

After admitting the charge against him, Farr was given a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months.

He was also disqualified for five years and ordered to pay £720 in costs, as well as a victim surcharge.

Sergeant Mark Furse of Hampshire police's serious collision investigation unit said: "Farr made an assumption that the road ahead was clear due to the position of the van and clearly failed to ensure it was safe to carry out the manoeuvre.

“Had he just taken some extra time to properly check the road ahead, he would have seen that such an overtake was incredibly dangerous.

“Tragically, his reckless decision cost Mr Szarzynski his life and has left his family devastated.”