Driver fled scene after injuring girl, 8, in 50mph head-on crash

An eight-year-old girl was left in hospital after an illegal driver smashed into her mum’s car.

Aiden Dodd caused the head-on crash while attempting to overtake other vehicles on a blind bend on a country lane, then callously fled the scene. The youngster whom he injured is now a “nervous wreck” when travelling on the roads, having suffered a “nasty” wound in the collision.

Liverpool Crown Court heard today, Tuesday, that Hayley Hughes was driving her Renault Clio along Holcroft Lane in Culcheth, Warrington, at around 4pm on April 1 this year. Derek Jones, prosecuting, described how her daughter and two-year-old son, who was asleep in the rear, were inside the vehicle when it approached a blind bend on the 50mph “country road”.

At this moment the family car was struck by Dodd’s oncoming black Volkswagen Golf, which had veered into its lane. Dashcam footage from a third vehicle showed that the 23-year-old had overtaken one car and was in the process of overtaking another at the time of the crash, ignoring a solid white line in the middle of the carriageway in order to do so.

Ms Hughes was instinctively able to “break heavily and steer towards a verge” on her left-hand side, resulting in only a “glancing” blow. But her car was ultimately written off by the smash.

Dodd’s vehicle meanwhile continued onwards before colliding with a telegraph pole, which was brought down by the impact. He then got out of the Golf and ran away across adjacent fields.

The defendant – of Hope Carr Road in Leigh, Greater Manchester – sat with his head bowed in the dock as the video of the incident was played to the court. The clip showed that a pickup truck narrowly avoided becoming involved in the accident after Dodd’s “highly dangerous manouevre”.

Ms Hughes suffered bruising to her chest and neck as a result of the incident, while her young daughter was left with a “nasty graze” on her neck from her seatbelt and spent the night in hospital. In a statement which was read out to the court on her behalf, the self-employed horse riding instructor outlined how she had to take a month off work and did not receive any compensation from her car insurance provider despite the write-off.

She also had to move her animals from her previous stables, as her route to the former site takes her past the scene of the crash. Ms Hughes’ statement continued: “The outcome could have been different.

“My daughter is a nervous wreck every time she is in any vehicle. I don’t know if I will ever become confident behind the wheel again or if my daughter will get over her fear of being a passenger.”

Dodd, who only held a provisional licence at the time, was eventually arrested on April 23 and made “full and frank admissions” under interview. He has convictions for 17 previous offences, including taking a vehicle without consent as a youth and attempted burglary.

Ben Berkson, defending, told the court that his client had struggled with a “stilted upbringing” and had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and suffered a “semi-permanent disability” when he was stabbed previously – also witnessing his friend being knifed. He added: “He fled in a moment of blind panic and in madness as to what he had done.

“He cannot watch the footage, such are his feelings towards his actions that day. His criminal record does not assist him.

“He has not committed any offence for some three years prior to this offence. He has lost contact with pretty much all of his immediate family.

“He is due to become a father in February. That is a feature which often leads to people developing maturity.

“He is looking forward to being a father. He feels this is very much a turning point in his life.

“This young man can be helped. Prison could entrench Mr Dodd towards more hardened criminals and isolate him further.”

Dodd admitted dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident and driving without a licence and insurance. He was jailed for 14 months.

Sentencing, Judge Neil Flewitt KC said: “It would have been much worse but for the fact you both swerved in opposite directions. It is to your credit that you made a full and frank admission to the police, showing remorse for what you had done.

“You have quite a lengthy criminal record for a variety of different offences. You clearly didn’t learn your lesson.

“You deliberately disregarded the rules of the road and the risk of danger to others. This is simply too serious for a suspended sentence order.”

Dodd was also banned from driving for two years and seven months. He must pass an extended test before he will be allowed behind the wheel.

References

1. ^{^} Man ‘tried to set landlord on fire with homemade flamethrower’ (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)