Man spared jail after leaving Sainsbury's delivery van driver with serious injuries in head-on crash

Jack William Hopkins, aged 29 and of Tugela Road, Chippenham, Wiltshire, appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court to be sentenced after admitting two charges: one of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and one of driving with excess levels of a controlled drug.

The court, sitting at Telford Magistrates Court, was told that the victim, Richard Smith, had been driving a Mercedes van southbound on the A49 near Woofferton at the time of the incident, at around 1.15pm on August 12 last year.

Prosecutor Mr Philip Beardwell said that as Mr Smith came round a corner, Hopkins's van, travelling in the opposite direction, was in the oncoming lane.

The vehicles crashed with Mr Smith initially trapped by his leg and the steering wheel.

The court was told that with the vehicle smoking and with fear it was about to burst into flames, Mr Smith managed to wrestle himself free, and was then helped from the Mercedes by members of the public who had stopped to help.

Mr Beardwell said the victim had been flown to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital by air ambulance where he was treated for numerous injuries, including fractures to his hands, ribs and left leg, along with torn cruciate ligaments and a number of cuts.

He was in hospital for six days and had, as of March this year, been unable to return to work for eight months.