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01
May
Tesco delivery driver admits causing serious injury by dangerous driving in Ripon
A Tesco delivery driver has admitted to causing serious injury by dangerous driving in Ripon.
Paul Joy pleaded guilty when he appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court on Thursday (May 1).
Mel Ibbotson, prosecuting, told the court the complainant – a named woman – was walking home from Ripon in the afternoon of August 10 last year.
The woman knew the route well, the court heard, but she was “aware of cars in both directions”.
She approached the junction with Church Lane, where she intended to cross to the other side of the road.
Ms Ibbotson said the complainant stopped at the edge of the pavement, looked left and right and noticed a Tesco van travelling towards her, which was being driven by the defendant.
She told the court:
The van appears to stop and she thinks it has seen her, but then it hit her when she was halfway across the road.
[Woman] had to have a partial hip replacement and also suffered from a broken wrist.
The court heard she spent a week in hospital, had to undertake four weeks of rehabilitation and have at-home carers for two weeks.
The incident “plays on the victim’s mind daily”, as she walks along the road regularly, Ms Ibbotson added.
Dashcam footage
Dashcam footage of the collision was played in court. The woman, who was wearing a bright red top at the time, could be seen falling to the ground after being struck.
The court heard Joy, 33, of Cookson Way in Brough St Giles, took full responsibility for the incident when he was interviewed by police.
“He said he was not sure how he didn’t see her”, Ms Ibbotson said.
Joy is of previous good character and has never been before the courts.
Ellie Boyd, defending, told the court Joy made a full admission to driving the vehicle that hit the woman.
As a Tesco delivery driver, he was working at the time of the incident.
The court heard Joy turned right, but he claims he indicated and the pedestrian “walked into the road”.
“He says he didn’t see her”, Ms Boyd added.
She said:
There is nothing to suggest the victim has suffered from permanent harm. It was fortunate that she did not receive any life-changing injuries.
‘A momentary lapse in concentration’
The case was stood down temporarily for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.
A probation officer later told the court the defendant said there had been “nothing going on in his life at the time that could’ve affected his concentration”.
He felt the offence occurred due to a “momentary lapse in concentration”, adding Joy has been driving for 11 years.
The officer said:
The defendant takes full responsibility for the offence. He has continued to work as a van driver since the offence, but he tells me he is ‘super, super cautious’ now.
The court heard Tesco arranged a driving assessment for Joy following the offence.
The assessor said the defendant met all the necessary driving standards, the court was told.
Joy wanted to apologise to the victim for the incident, the officer said, adding he is “aware of the pain, inconvenience and potential long-term effects” caused.
The defendant does not have any substance issues, but he has suffered from anxiety and depression.
“It appears there were experiences in his childhood that have affected his adult life”, the officer also said.
Before sentencing, Ms Boyd told the magistrates the incident was a “tragic accident that Mr Joy accepts was his fault”.
The bench banned Joy from driving for 12 months.
He was sentenced to complete a 12-month community order, during which he must undertake 160 hours of unpaid work.
Joy was also ordered to pay a £114 surcharge and £85 in prosecution costs.
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