I'm Conflicted, Here...

A van driver has been jailed for three-and-a-half years after deliberately running over a cyclist who spat at him.His face showed little reaction as his van mounted on top of the cyclist's body.

I'm surprised the police charged him, given the awful fuss they make when they are spat on. C'mon, be consistent, is it the worst assault in the world, or not?

Woolwich Crown Court heard Okotie was delivering blood products to a south London hospital when he moved his van into the left lane 'seemingly without looking' and came close to the man on his bike in New Cross Road in March 2024. At the next set of traffic lights, the cyclist spat in Okotie's direction, which 'went through the open driver's window', the court heard.

Probably done this before, and got away within it, as shock and disgust rooted the driver to the spot. But Okotie was made of sterner stuff.

Okotie, 44, who mentors young people to keep them out of violence, was found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent last week.

Today, he was sentenced to three years and six months but was not banned from driving.

I personally wouln't have convicted. 

In a victim statement, the cyclist said that the attack had made him 'more cautious of people'.

Good! Maybe that'll make him a better ayclist!  

Yeah, Yeah, Tell Us Another...

A man who was killed on the M56 after being chased by police on a motorbike had been "turning his life around" after finally finding "a purpose" through his daughter, his family said. Cody Lowndes, 27, was stopped by officers after being spotted driving in a "dangerous manner" on the M60, around Stockport Pyramid, at about 19:30 BST on Saturday, Greater Manchester Police said. The force said he left the bike and ran off across the motorway and was struck by another vehicle and died at the scene.

At least no innocent people were harmed in the making of this karmic incident. 

His family said they were "heartbroken" that their "best friend" had died, and his daughter would never know the "real Cody" that they "all knew and loved".

Peobably the best thing that could happen to her… 

The tribute added: "We will always love Cody, and he will live on in our hearts and memories. Please let us mourn Cody in peace, as a family.  

"As a family we are heartbroken that our best friend Cody has passed away."

He did ‘pass away’ , he FA and FO! 

Greater Manchester Police said it had referred the case to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which decided an independent investigation was required.

Why? Its hardly their fault he had a room temperature IQ, is it? 

Well, What’s Stopping You?

Sentencing him on Friday,Judge Sean Morris said he had shown "not one line of remorse", adding: "I'd dearly love to lock you up. Now go away and hang your head in shame."

Given he lied his way through the trial I don’t think there’s much point in expecting shame from him, your honour…

The judge rejected Beckett's account that cyclists had obscured his view. "You tried to blame cyclists, which was a nonsense, and you tried to blame the deceased for not having lights on. He did have lights on," he said. The prosecution said the collision was "no momentary lapse of concentration".

I fail to see why he shouldn't be charged with contempt of court then. Maybe that would attract the jail time that killing a man with a car doesn’t. 

Beckett's defence barrister urged the court to suspend any prison sentence, citing Beckett's age, previous good character and clean driving record. Judge Morris said: "It is the will of Parliament that I have to suspend the sentence."

Then what’s the point of you? Might as well flip a coin… 

Is This Unusual?

 

Well, It IS Ireland, maybe they dom't bother over there if the cause of death is so blindingly obvious...

A seven-year-old boy is among four seriously injured people in hospital after a crash in County Kildare in which five teenagers were killed while driving the wrong way down a motorway. Two women are in a critical condition, while another woman and the boy are in a serious condition after the head-on crash. It's believed the injured family - two women aged in their 30s and one in her 20s, and the young boy - were travelling to the airport to go on holiday.

And this wasn't a case of teenagers driving like that because they got confused as some elderly drivers do, or were being cgased by police - it was deliberate. 

The five teenagers have been named locally as Joe Carthy from Athy, County Kildare, Alex McCarthy from Carlow, Kamil Pustkowski from Limerick, Jeremy O'Brien and Jack Kennedy, according to Irish broadcaster RTÉ News.

Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) Micheál Martin said his thoughts and prayers were with the injured and the death of the five teenage boys brought untold grief.

Social media immediatly gave the lie to that, wirh many people quite happy that these hooligans had deleted themselves from the world, being notorious as thorough nuisances in their town, and the sympathy went to the innocent victims who were just trying to get away on holiday. 

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly described it as a "horrific incident" and "irresponsible and dangerous driving". "What makes this reckless behaviour even more appalling is that in some cases it is being done for social media likes regardless of the potentially devastating impact it might have on innocent people and themselves."

Ireland's Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan said on Monday that he condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the "reckless criminal behaviour". "I also want to emphasise that anyone who makes the decision to drive a vehicle deliberately the wrong way down a motorway is engaged in lethally dangerous behaviour and it must stop," O'Callaghan said.

But why would they stop, whrn the police are powerless - or unwilling - to stop them, and they lack the brainpower to realise the consequences of a crash ayyspeed? 

'So We're Sending It To People Who Do Have The Sentencing Powers (That They Seldom Use)....

The chairman of a bench of magistrates told the defendants: 'Look, we can't deal with this today. 'It's called indictable only, it's so serious that it's beyond our sentencing powers if you were to be found guilty.'

Another case of ‘driving while diverse’ so  get it off your plate as quickly as possible!

Sedor Olmez and Roderick Mirzakhanian allegedly caused the death of Laura Sone-Demetrious, 28, by driving dangerously on the A10 Great Cambridge Road in Enfield. Ms Sone-Demetrious was using a pedestrian crossing over the busy dual carriageway on her evening dog walk.

They mowed down her dogs too… 

Olmez wore a white shirt, patterned tie, and black jacket in the dock while Mirzakhanian wore a white shirt, and both spoke only to confirm their personal details in the short hearing. They were not asked to enter pleas. Olmez was also charged with driving a BMW that was uninsured at the time of the incident on January 9 2024.

Not an Audi? Well, nice to see someone still reveres the classics. 

More Undue Leniency

Charles Wood, Head of the Bench, said the CCTV footage placed the offence in the most serious category under sentencing guidelines. 

He said: 'The CCTV footage is very clear, and having seen it we determine this is a category A1 offence, the most serious offence. 

'The traffic light you went through was red for a significant period of time, as much as eight seconds. 

'Nine times out of ten this wouldn't happen, but it's precisely because of the possible consequences that we have such things in place. 

'The fact is: it did happen.'

And despite that, and the fact the crash she caused involved a police car on an emergency call, the courts merely patted her on the head and said 'there, there..' 

As well as the suspended eight-month jail term, Wright was banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay £272 in costs.

So much for keeping death off the roads, we'll just have to hope she'll never be able to get insurance in the future. 

No compensation was ordered for Merseyside Police or Constable Thompson as those are covered by insurance and would constitute a civil matter.

🤬 

This Is Not Justice!

Zoe Graham, 38, broke down in court as she told a judge she was sorry after smashing her Range Rover into mum-of-three Samantha Keen on August 9, 2023. Graham said she was late to pick up her own kids from school when she overtook a line of cars, illegally crossing a double white line.

The video of the crash is horrific and the perpetrator’s description as ‘the wife of a singer’ set my teeth on edge, I knew straight away, before I googled, we wouldn’t be talking about opera, here. 

Mrs Keen was turning right, crossing the carriageway in front of Graham, who crashed into her at at least 50mph near Ringmer.

After the crash, summer plans were cancelled and the family had to move in with Mrs Keen’s mother.

It's only through modern car design for safety that she isn’t dead, along with her children! 

I have permanent physical and mental difficulties," she said. She suffers from anxiety caused by 'ugly scars on my face' and will need medication for the foreseeable future. Mrs Keen also had to give up kickboxing and experiences increased anxiety in cars.

But this isn’t a court of law, apparently, it’s a circus of competing victim statuses. You’d imagine there’s only one victim here, but no…

Crying in the dock, she said: "I’m so sorry. "My children and I went through nine years of domestic violence."My ex used to make me really late or wouldn’t let me pick them up which made them really anxious. 

"I have an autistic child. 

"When I saw the double white lines. 

"I thought there was a break in the lines. 

"I was a little bit late to pick my boys up. 

"They suffer with anxiety and I felt the need to get there.

I would have thought their ‘anxiety’ would only be heightened by being in a car with someone who drives like this.  But, Reader, it worked:

Lewes Crown Court in Hove heard Graham was originally charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving. The Crown accepted her guilty plea to the lesser charge of causing serious injury by careless driving

.Once again, the lazy bastards in the CPS dropped the ball!

His Honour Judge David Rennie told Graham: "The pre-sentence report has given me a wealth of information about you, your family and your background. 

"I’ve read references from people who know you very well and they speak very highly of you. 

"I’ve read and considered the report from the consultant psychiatrist. 

"I regard what you did on this occasion as wholly out of character. 

"I have no doubt you are deeply, deeply sorry for what you did to - as you say - another mum."

She was spared jail after admitting causing serious injury by careless driving.

Graham was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months and banned from driving for a year.

Not even banned for life! So much for keeping death off the roads!

No Longer Accepting Excuses...

The court heard Amber blamed 'immaturity' for the decision to keep driving after her diagnosis, and she has written to Ms Cheema to apologise.

What about the pedestian she nearly killed? 

The judge said Amber was 'in the midst of an epileptic fit' when her driving became erratic, and she 'may not have fully appreciated the very realistic fear of her passenger'. 

He was encouraged by Amber's barrister to spare her a spell in prison, but concluded: 'It was clearly a deliberate choice to disregard the information given to her by her doctor. 'You are fortunate you did not kill people that day, it's as simple as that', he told Amber. 

'You are lucky it wasn't far worse.'

She’s lucky, judge!?! 

Amber, who was on an accountancy graduate scheme prior to sentencing, will serve just over a year in prison before she is eligible for parole, and she is banned from driving for the next three years and four months.

It seems a pathetic sentence given the aggravating factors, but it’s almost astounding to see a prison sentence in a case like this one that it’s welcome.

Driving While Diverse

A drug driver who ploughed into the central reservation of the M1 before continuing with a missing wheel has been jailed.

Yes, Reader, you guessed it… 

Omar Makhluf, 20, drove for several miles before finally pulling over at a service station near Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.The crash happened on the motorway’s northbound stretch after Toddington, Bedfordshire at around 3.30pm on February 16 last year. Despite damage to his car, Makhluf, of Keel Close, Barking in east London drove on three wheels and was then filmed getting out of the vehicle at junction 14 for Newport Pagnell.

Bang to rights! 

When told the grounds for his arrest at the service station, he replied: “I didn’t do dangerous driving.”In police interview, Makhluf struggled to stay awake and yawned while officers questioned him.

That won’t have endeared him to the investigators.

He was sentenced to 22 months and disqualified for four years for this offence and other matters elsewhere in the country. 

I wonder what the ‘Other matters’ were, and why the reporter doesn’t see fit to inform us?

Getting Older....

 

...I don't want to presume, but Matt appears to know it's drawbacks well.

It Sure Is A New Look...

 ...though not one the shopkeepers would have wanted, I suspect!

A silver BMW crashed into Beccles' New Look at about 8 pm on Tuesday.It is believed that the driver fled the scene and a police spokeswoman had said: "Efforts to establish who was driving the vehicle at the time of the incident are ongoing."

Well, you know who owns the car.... 

H/T: Dave Ward via email

A License To Rob

At least Dick Turpin had the decency to wear a mask...

Thousands of drivers could have speeding fines cancelled after a fault saw some cameras falsely triggered on English motorways and A roads. And tens of thousands of drivers will have speed awareness courses cancelled as the government orders National Highways to look back at six years of speed camera data.

What about those who have already been on the course? Shouldn't they be compensated for their wasted time?  

Affected drivers will be contacted by police and be reimbursed for any fines while points will be removed from their licences where needed.

Police forces are also thought to be discontinuing thousands of other prosecutions, regardless of whether they were affected by the issue.

Remember this when someone next tells you 'the State works for you, comrade!' 

National Highways apologised for the error. "Safety is our number one priority," said chief executive Nick Harris.

Should have been accuracy instead.  

National Highways, which runs England's motorways, blamed an "anomaly" in how variable speed cameras were interacting with signs on some A roads and motorways. It meant a delay of around 10 seconds between cameras and relevant variable speed signs, meaning some drivers were incorrectly identified as speeding after the limit had changed. So on a road where the speed limit increases, a driver may see a sign saying 60mph, but the camera recording it may still be working on the basis of a previous 40mph speed limit.

Government IT folks... 

How Refreshing (At First)!

A coroner has warned that a social media clamour for selfies and videos could be contributing to fatal road collisions - after hearing how two teenagers died in a crash caused by a fellow sixth former as he drove them home from school.

Oh! Not anyone else's fault for a change? Not the car manufacturer, or local road maintenance firm? 

Matilda Seccombe, 16, and 17-year-old Harry Purcell were killed when the Ford Fiesta they were passengers in collided with an oncoming Fiat at 64mph while being driven by pal Edward Spencer. Another boy, Frank Wormald, 16, also died in the horror smash, which took place in April 2023 just six weeks after Spencer had passed his driving test. After Spencer, who was 17 at the time, pleaded guilty to three counts of causing death by careless driving earlier this year, prosecutors told Warwick Crown Court he had a history of 'showing off' behind the wheel. The court also heard he had a 'history of bad driving' since he passed his test, evidenced by social media posts and videos.

Ah, well, there you go. No doubt he'll be suitably punished?  

The farmers' son, of Newbold on Stour, Warwickshire, was sent to a young offenders' institution for two years, as well as being handed an eight-year driving ban and told he must take an extended driving test when he applies for his licence back.

Oh, I forgot - in this judicial system, killing people with your car is the best way of getting away virtually scott free... 

Ms Lee told Coventry Coroner's Court that she may write to the government and insurance industry bodies to highlight issues raised by the tragedy. But she was urged by solicitor Patrick Maguire, representing Harry's family, to consider contacting social media companies, after he referenced the videos showing Spencer's dangerous driving. Mr Maguire told the hearing similar footage from other drivers existed online, and suggested social media firms may have a 'duty to take this material down' as it 'subconsciously validates and encourages others to copy that driving'.

Blame the tool that allows you to post footage of yourself being a tool, and not the tools driving like idiots = that's modern life all right. 

If Only He Was 'One Of A Kind'...

 ...sadly, there far too many idiots who ride quad bikes illegally on the roads. 

A driver has been charged over the death of a young man who was found next to an overturned quad bike on a busy country road. Ethan Powell, 20, who was described as a 'one of a kind boy' by friends and family, was found by police lying dead next to his quad bike in Wales.

It could have been a road legal quad bike, but seriously, what are the odds?  These things have a high death rate simply by their unstable nature - the only really suprising thing in this case is the involvement of another vehicle.

A 41-year-old man has since been charged with multiple offences, including causing death by driving a vehicle, driving while unlicensed or uninsured, perverting the course of justice and failing to stop after a road accident.

It'll be treated leniently, no doubt, as all road traffic deaths are in this country. 

 

'A tragic accident occured with a set of circumstances I had no control over.'

Mr Harrison, who joined the Met in 1982 but has been on restricted duties since the crash, denied suggestions by prosecutor Michelle Heeley KC that he 'made a mistake' that day.

But as usual, it's not one he's going to be made to pay for.

Ms Heeley replied: 'You did have control, you could have chosen to stop your bike and properly control that crossing.'

Mr Harrison replied: 'Yes.'

The prosecutor said: 'And you didn't.'

Mr Harrison replied: 'No.' 

But he denied he had been complacent.

 Perhaps she should have used a different word? Or asked about his training, maybe the Met sent him to China for it?

Mr Harrison said he did not believe his driving fell below standards or strayed from his training.

That's probably true, since their training seems to dictate they ride like bats out of hell and screw anybody that gets in their way! The State must be saddened that in this particular case, they can't charge anyone else with the death....

'It's a sad and tragic fact that accidents like this do happen as a result of bad luck.'

 Well, yes, indeed. If you have the bad luck to be born to a thick chavmum who ignores the rules on car seats while accepting a lift from her pissed up girlchum.

A young woman who was drink-driving when a baby was thrown through the open window of her car in a crash wept in court today as she avoided jail.

How?  

Stevie Steel, 24, and a friend had bought three bottles of wine for a day out at the beach when she collided with another vehicle shortly after they left. Her Ford Focus rolled onto its roof and her friend's six-month-old baby, Harry Kiely, was 'thrown through the window' and died from catastrophic head injuries.Harry's mother, Morgan, 22, was given a two-year suspended sentence in July after she was convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence. Her son had not been strapped into his seat properly during the short journey in Clacton, Essex. Steel has now received a one-year term, suspended for a year, after admitting causing death by careless driving while over the prescribed limit.

Tests showed Steel had 43mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, compared to the legal limit of 35mg. But the judge suspended her sentence today, saying there was 'very considerable personal mitigation'.

Such as? 

She was of previously good character, had admitted the offence and had expressed remorse. She also has a young child with her ex-partner.

Ah, the usual load of old flannel. 

Christopher Martin, defending Steel today, said his client had spoken to charities about helping with campaigning against drink driving. This was 'with a view to try and nail home how serious the consequences of this type of offending really are' for young people.

 Well, they are going to look at the extraerdinary leniency offered to this pair and conclude that there really aren't any, so that might backfire! 

The defendant was also disqualified from driving for five years and must pass an extended test before returning to behind the wheel.

Should have been a lifetime ban. 

The War On Cars...

First, those robbing bastards at TfL announce plans to hike the congestion charge by 20%. 

Then, before it's even built, a pressure group is demanding sky-high fees to use the new crossing: 

 

Cars pay £2.50 to travel via Dartford, but analysis from the campaign group Transport Action Network (TAN) suggests that tolls would need to be about £8.10, and £14 for a lorry, to cover financing and operating costs.

 Because that’s a well researched estimate of costs, or because it suits their agenda to demand the price is raised? 

National Highways, which is leading the work on the crossing, said the figures were untrue and that it expected the tolls to remain in line with present levels, adjusted for inflation.

Who to believe amongst two sets of known liars? 

Natalie Chapman, the head of public affairs at Logistics UK, said the approval of the crossing was “excellent news” given the delays to traffic at Dartford. She added: “Industry recognises that road charges are necessary to fund new infrastructure, but tolls need to be reasonable, as industry pays disproportionately more towards construction costs than private road users.” Many vehicles have, however, been charged substantially more to cross the Thames since similar mirror tolls were enforced last month on the new Silvertown tunnel, a mile-long crossing in east London, and the nearby Blackwall tunnel, which was previously free to use. Transport for London said the tolls, of £4 for a car, were needed on both tunnels to deter traffic from taking an alternative cheaper route.

I feel you didn't need those last six words; they merely mask the true agenda. 

Can We Have Some Accuracy In Headlines?

A far more accurate headline would read 'Woman is killed after veering onto the opposite side of the road and straight into a stationary double-decker bus'

Police have appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage to work out how the collision happened.

Blimey, it doesn't take Sherlock Holmes, does it, fellers? 

He’d Probably Have Got A Lesser Sentence If He’d Been The One Who Killed The Biker

An Ipswich man who filmed the body of a motorcyclist killed in a crash has been ordered to pay out more than £1,300 and given six points on his licence.

Whut? Yes, Reader, I was a bit surprised too.  

Before Suffolk Magistrates’ Court on Thursday was Arturas Motuzis, of Chilton Court, Belstead Avenue, who admitted publicising the indecent footage and using a handheld mobile phone while driving. T

The court heard Motuzis, 38, was travelling back from work in Bury St Edmunds when he came across the scene of the crash on June 4.Kevin Doherty, 44, from Somersham, had been killed in the collision after his motorcycle collided with a car and a lorry on the A14 at Sproughton. The emergency services had not yet reached the scene and Motuzis filmed the prone body of the Mr Doherty. The defendant uploaded the footage to a travel and traffic information group on Facebook.

Didn't really need footage, just text, to warn other motorists but that seems to be the norm now. If it's not filmed, it's like it doesn't exist for the modern generation. 

A number of users responded to the post expressing their distress and asking for it to be taken down, the court heard. Police were "inundated" with complaints about the video and on the evening of June 5 the defendant was identified and arrested. In interview, Motuzis said he was remorseful and admitted both offences.

And yet, that remorse - while it may actually be true in these circumstances - didn't seem to attract the usual leniency from our debased 'justice system'... 

The Chair of the Bench said: "We have just heard of the vile actions you took on June 4. This is one of the most distasteful things we have heard for many years in this court."

Really? Blimey, it must be a crime-free paradise here then.... 

Motuzis was handed a fine of £750 for the indecent footage along with £150 for using a phone while driving. On top of these fines, a prosecution cost of £85 was imposed along with a victim surcharge of £360.

What would he have got if he'd been the one to kill the biker? Probably a hell of a lot less.  

Wait, What Country Am I In Again?

A man who drove for almost 100 feet with a 12-year-old girl trapped underneath his van has walked free from court. Ali didn't stop until the girl came out from the back of the vehicle, lay motionless on the floor, and a member of the public alerted him to what had happened. The unnamed girl was left with a broken collarbone and elbow and also friction burns.

Police at the time of the crash in Oldham, Greater Manchester said she suffered 'life changing' injuries.

The girl's family declined to support a prosecution, meaning he could not be charged with causing serious injury by careless driving.

Wait, what? This isn't the States, where the victim of a crime is required to 'press charges'. This is the UK, where the Crown takes on that job! 

At Tameside Magistrates Court, Ali admitted the lesser charge of driving without due care and attention. He was also ordered to pay £205 in costs and victim surcharge and had six points endorsed on his driving licence. The court heard he already had three points on his licence from two years ago for speeding.

*sighs* 

Sentencing, JP Pauline Taylor said: 'This is an unusual incident I must say. You have got three points already so you need to be extremely careful. It is a serious matter. If you get another matter on it, you might get disqualified.'

And, the law being an ass, you might not. 

H/T: RealBlackIrish via Twitter