A motorist has been sent to prison after a high-speed crash, described by police as 'completely irresponsible', left one of his passengers with a broken wrist.
Reckless driving leads to field crash
Leigh Shelton, 64, from Fir Road in Thetford, Norfolk, was behind the wheel of a Honda Civic with three passengers on board. The court heard he had picked up the group in Littleport on June 16, 2024, after their own vehicle had broken down.
While travelling along the A10 and A1101 towards Norfolk, Shelton began overtaking other vehicles and accelerating to speeds of up to 100mph. Peterborough Crown Court was told he ignored repeated pleas from his passengers to slow down before he lost control of the car.
'Lucky to come out alive' from wreckage
The vehicle left the road and flipped into a field. Emergency services were called to the scene. One passenger sustained a broken wrist and required hospital treatment.
Following the sentencing, PC Benjamin Perry of Cambridgeshire Constabulary stated the condition of the car showed how fortunate everyone was. "You could see by the state of the car how lucky everyone was to come out alive," he said. "Leigh’s driving was completely irresponsible and has left the passengers with not only physical injuries, but also psychological trauma from the crash."
Jail sentence and lengthy driving ban imposed
Shelton pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving. On Tuesday, December 2, he was sentenced at Peterborough Crown Court to two years and three months in prison.
In addition to the jail term, he was told he will be banned from driving for four years upon his release. The court also ordered that he must pass an extended re-test before he can legally drive again.
