Jailed Striker rejoins first-team after release from Prison

Mansfield Town have confirmed Lucas Akins has returned to the first-team squad after the player was released from prison halfway through a 14-month sentence.

Akins, 36, was jailed in April after causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving. He hit Adrian Daniel, 33, after he pulled out of a T-junction in his £200,000 Mercedes after failing to stop at a give-way sign in March 2022

Head-cam footage from Mr Daniel, who cycled the same route to and from work every day, showed Akins pull out slowly from Crossland Factory Lane onto Huddersfield Road directly into his path, giving the cyclist ‘no time to brake’.

Daniel died 10 days after suffering a ‘catastrophic’ head injury. Akins pleaded guilty in April of this year and was jailed for 14 months.

Akins has now been released and will serve the remainder of his sentence on probation.

And in a statement on Thursday, his club, who play in League One, said the striker had ‘rejoined the first-team squad following the conclusion of a custodial sentence’.

‘This follows a road traffic accident in March 2022, which tragically resulted in the death of Mr Adrian Daniel,’ Mansfield said.

‘The club wishes to once again extend its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr Daniel. Our thoughts remain with all those impacted by this tragic accident.

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‘In line with principles of rehabilitation and reintegration, the club is of the view that Lucas, having served his sentence, should be afforded the opportunity to resume his professional career.

‘Lucas has reiterated his profound remorse for the events of that day and fully recognises the enduring impact this tragedy has had on the family of Mr Daniel.

‘Mansfield Town has provided support to Lucas throughout his time in custody and following the conclusion of judicial proceedings, and will continue to offer appropriate support as he returns to the first team environment.’

There had been nothing stopping Akins from returning to football, although it remains unclear when he will resume playing.

It emerged last month that Akins had been named in Mansfield’s squad for the 2025-26 season. The club said at the time they would not comment until his jail term had been served.

Akins had his then seven-month-old and seven-year-old children in his Mercedes G350 Station Wagon at the time of the incident, as he took the eldest to a piano lesson. The player is still serving a two-year driving ban.

The striker continued to turn out for the Stags throughout his trial in the spring, starting a match against Wigan Athletic just hours after making his initial guilty plea.

Daniel’s widow of just seven months, Savannah, criticised Akins for failing to plead guilty earlier amid her ‘three years of hell’ in the wake of her late husband’s death.

But she went on to stress that she did not wish to for Akins’ family to experience the same misery she has since Daniel’s passing in her moving victim impact statement.

‘His wife and children shouldn’t have to live the life we have since that day,’ Savannah told the court. ‘We do not need any more lives to be destroyed from this.’

Akins received the support of Mansfield throughout the trial, with manager Nigel Clough providing a reference for the judge.

Akins came through the youth academy at Huddersfield and made his debut for them in 2007.

His career has since taken him to Northwich Victoria, Hamilton Academical, Partick Thistle, Tranmere Rovers, Stevenage, Burton Albion, and latterly Mansfield.

Mansfield are 12th in League One having won four, drawn three and lost four of their first 11 matches.