Doncaster businessman cleared of dangerous driving after case against him is dismissed

Etrepreneur Alexander van Steen, 36, was driving his Land Rover Discovery and towing a large trailer when it detached and careered out of control on King Edward Road in Thorne in December 2021.

The 1,360kg trailer, which was loaded with foam padding for Mr van Steen’s sensory play equipment business, struck a 72-year-old man walking along the pavement and crushed him, leaving him with life-changing injuries.

Mr van Steen, a former Army officer, denied the original charge of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and before his trial at Sheffield Crown Court began earlier this week, both legal teams agreed to reduce the count to dangerous driving.

However, once the hearing began, the CPS offered no evidence against Mr van Steen and the case was dismissed and the jury discharged.

The trailer did not have brakes fitted independently of the hauling vehicle, as it was legally required to do so, and came free of the towbar when the businessman drove over a pothole near his company’s premises. However, his defence argued that the defect would not have been visible to a driver conducting cursory checks before a journey, and was only identified following an expert inspection after the collision.

The court was told that the entrepreneur had no previous convictions and is a man of ‘good character’ who is respectable and contributes to his community.

Van Steen is the director of a number of Doncaster-based businesses, including SensoryPlus Ltd, which specialises in equipment and rooms for those with disabilities and special needs, and Axita, an IT solutions firm. He also owns and rents out affordable property.

From 2015 until 2017, he organised the Doncaster Business Cup, a charity event which involved footballers representing numerous businesses from across the city competing in a contest held at the city’s Eco Power Stadium.

After completing a Masters degree in computer science at the University of Hull, Van Steen undertook Army officer training at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.