Bournemouth driver jailed for hit-and-run motorway crash

Ahmed Ismail’s actions at the wheel of the flatbed transporter before the crash were described as “scary”.

Sales director Daniel Mills was “pushed” from the road as Ismail came out of the middle lane into his path.

The defendant “swerved pretty swiftly”, which led to Mr Mills’ car colliding with and flattening the crash barrier, Bournemouth Crown Court heard.

Mr Mills’ BMW was written off while he suffered multiple injuries, including nerve damage in his spine.

Judge Jonathan Fuller KC told 55-year-old Ismail: “You must have been fully aware of that impact (involving Mr Mills), significant as it was, but you drove off.”

The court heard Ismail, of Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, was working “under pressure” to deliver the vehicle by a certain time of day.

“Clearly you were in a hurry and that is what in your mind justified this appalling driving,” the judge said.

Ismail’s conduct was described as “persistent and wholly unreasonable driving” by Judge Fuller KC.

Prosecuting, Christopher Wing said Ismail was driving the white Iveco Daily transporter on the afternoon of May 24 last year on the M1 northbound, initially in Hertfordshire and then in Bedfordshire near Luton.

His driving was captured on the dashcam of another motorist, Gavin Miller, which was played in court.

Mr Miller alerted the defendant’s driving to police before the crash. He could be heard on the dashcam footage telling police “I would never normally do this but this guy is scary”.

Mr Wing said the dashcam showed the defendant tailgating a vehicle immediately in front of him, carrying out risky overtaking and undertaking, narrowly avoiding a collision and swerving suddenly from lane to lane.

The prosecutor said Ismail swerved into Mr Mills’ BMW at “significant speed causing him to collide into the central reservation”.

The car driven by Mr Mills suffered substantial damage to the extent it was a “total write-off”.

One of the front wheels came off entirely while the other three were cracked. The chassis was completely twisted out of shape.

“Mr Mills had to be cut out of his vehicle by the fire brigade and then he received treatment in an ambulance,” Mr Wing said. “He was observed to be in shock and hyperventilating.”

The complainant had injuries to the right of his chest, as well as his back, abdomen, shoulders and wrists.

A subsequent scan in hospital showed he had nerve damage to three of the lower vertebrae, something which Mr Mills described as “a life-long disability”.

In a victim personal statement, he said: “I feel angry that Mr Ismail firstly drove in such a poor and deliberate manner towards me but also that once he knowingly collided with me, he did not have the common decency to stop and check on me and exchange details.”

Ismail pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle dangerously and failing to stop.

Bournemouth Crown Court (Image: NQ)

Philomena Murphy, mitigating, said the defendant was working as a self-employed vehicle delivery driver, which was a job that came with time and financial restraint.

She said this “weighed heavily” on Ismail, adding: “On May 24 last year he was contracted to deliver a vehicle by a certain time of day. “ The barrister said he allowed the pressure of the job to take priority on the day in question.

She said soon after the collision he drove to a car park and rang his insurance company.

“He offers his sincere apologies for his behaviour that day,” Ms Murphy said.

She asked the judge to consider imposing a suspended sentence, noting the impact custody would have on his children and his rehabilitation.

Judge Fuller KC said: “The seriousness of the offence would not be marked by anything short of an immediate custodial sentence.”

Ismail was jailed for 12 months and disqualified from driving for three-and-a-half years.

The judge said it was unclear why the defendant had not been charged with causing serious injury by driving dangerously.

The defendant was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on June 1. Footage of the crash, which was played in court was provided to the Daily Echo on June 22.