A driver whose overtake caused a head-on smash near Alston, which left his partner and a child seriously hurt, has appeared in court.
Jack Graham, now 20, was behind the wheel of a Skoda Rapid which was heading eastbound on the A686 between the market town and Hartside at around noon on October 28 2022.
Graham believed a vehicle in front of his own was travelling slowly. “He has conducted an overtake, has overtaken and lost control of the vehicle and collided head-on with an oncoming BMW,” prosecutor George Shelley told Carlisle Magistrates’ Court this morning.
The westbound BMW contained a married couple and two child passengers. Both Graham’s passenger — his partner — and a girl in the BMW were seriously hurt.
Graham’s partner was airlifted to hospital and had suffered multiple fractures. She needed daily injections for a month and was fitted with a stoma for at least a year.
The girl suffered a broken collarbone and had been taken to hospital along with other members of her family.
Graham, of Pennine View, Newbiggin, near Penrith, was interviewed by police. “He admitted, in hindsight, he should not have overtaken,” said Mr Shelley.
Graham, a man without previous convictions, admitted two charges of causing serious injury by driving without due care and attention.
Defence lawyer Chris Toms, mitigating, said Graham — now unemployed — had made a misjudgement prior to the crash.
As he completed the manoeuvre, his car had clipped a kerb and spun.
After considering background information and mitigation, district judge John Temperley imposed a community order.
Graham must complete a five-month electronically monitored night time curfew, pay £200 compensation to the child who was injured and was banned from driving for two years.
“This was, in my view, a very unfortunate misjudgement on your part, but nothing more serious than that,” concluded the district judge.
