A man has been banned from driving for more than two years after a five-vehicle crash which resulted in a victim requiring facial reconstruction.
Daniel Edge, 25, of Langland in Gaywood, appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court today to be sentenced, having pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by careless driving and drink-driving at an earlier hearing.
He was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 12 months, disqualified from driving for two years and one month, and ordered to complete 180 hours unpaid work.
The sentence follows an incident at around 9am on March 20, when Edge was travelling on the A10 and approaching the Bexwell Road roundabout at Downham in a white Ford Transit van and was involved in a five-vehicle collision.
Prosecutors said that Edge “did not notice” the cars in front of him had stopped upon approaching the roundabout,. When his van slammed into the back of one of the vehicles, the victim’s head smashed into the steering wheel, and no airbags deployed.
As a result, the victim lost blood and suffered injuries so serious that he was transported to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge for treatment – and later needed facial reconstruction.
Officers arrived on scene and asked him to complete a roadside breath test, which he failed. He was then arrested and taken to hospital prior to being transported to custody.
Edge provided an evidential sample of 101mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath – nearly three times the drink-drive limit.
Edge had been stopped earlier that day after officers caught him swerving across the white lines on the road.
At the time, he explained to police that it was because he had been eating at the wheel.
Mitigating, solicitor Kate Daloia told the court that Edge was “uncomfortable” driving the vehicle, which was a company van, and was meant to be given training before using it, but this never happened
At the time of the incident, Edge claimed he had in fact seen the cars in front stop and tried to engage the brakes, but the car kept moving forward.
“He was terrified,” Ms Daloia added.
Ms Daloia said that the night before, the defendant had stayed up all night with a friend drinking wine and whiskey, and was still over the limit the next day.
Before his shift, he took one last glass of whiskey, as he was not expecting to be driving.
Investigating officer PC Lucie Hart, of the Swaffham roads policing team, said: “We are pleased to have removed another dangerous driver from Norfolk’s roads.
“This collision is a clear reminder of the danger posed by those who choose to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol.
“The victim suffered serious injuries as a result of this incident and unfortunately it is something we still see far too often.
“Drink-driving is a fatal four offence, meaning it is one of the most common contributing factors in those who are seriously injured or killed on our roads. We will do everything we can to continue to target those who put others at risk.
“I would like to thank the victim for his patience and courage in relation to this investigation. He continues his recovery at home.”
