18-month ban for dangerous driver who drove into the back of cyclist

A motorist who drove into the back of a cyclist has been banned for driving for just 18 months and has also avoided a jail sentence after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

The Helensburgh Advertiser reports that the injuries sustained by Andrew Whittaker when he was struck from behind by James Campbell in March 2017 resulted in him receiving a +++six-figure insurance payout.+++ (EMPHASIS MINE)

Campbell, a 28-year-old shepherd from Luss, Argyll & Bute, was driving his Toyota Hilux pickup truck when he hit Mr Whittaker on the A82 between Balloch and Dumbarton.

Last month, he pleaded guilty at Dumbarton Sheriff Court to causing severe injury and returned there last week for sentencing.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry told him: “You’re 28 years old, no previous convictions, a good member of the community and, in a matter of seconds, everything changes.

“You fell massively below the level of a careful driver. You simply drove into him from the rear. In other situations I would have to be thinking whether custody was appropriate.�

He sentenced Campbell to perform 210 hours of unpaid work and he will also have to take an extended retest when his driving ban ends.

A witness heading in the opposite direction on the A82 told the court at last month’s trial that he had seen Mr Whittaker riding around 300 yards ahead of Campbell’s vehicle at around 6.50pm on 23 March 2017.

The witness said that they slowed down to enable Campbell to move out and safely overtake the cyclist, but instead he drove straight into the back of him.

Mr Whittaker suffered head and back injuries and had to be operated on at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow for surgery.

He was forced to take eight months off work as a result of his injuries and once he returned, could only undertake light duties.

Campbell had also been charged with assault to severe Injury, permanent disfigurement and danger of life, but that was dropped due to his guilty plea to the less serious charge.

https://road.cc/content/news/269069-...e-back-cyclist

On Wednesday, November 27, 2019 at 9:09:28 PM UTC, Simon Mason wrote:
A motorist who drove into the back of a cyclist has been banned for driving for just 18 months and has also avoided a jail sentence after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

The Helensburgh Advertiser reports that the injuries sustained by Andrew Whittaker when he was struck from behind by James Campbell in March 2017 resulted in him receiving a +++six-figure insurance payout.+++ (EMPHASIS MINE)

Campbell, a 28-year-old shepherd from Luss, Argyll & Bute, was driving his Toyota Hilux pickup truck when he hit Mr Whittaker on the A82 between Balloch and Dumbarton.

Last month, he pleaded guilty at Dumbarton Sheriff Court to causing severe injury and returned there last week for sentencing.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry told him: “You’re 28 years old, no previous convictions, a good member of the community and, in a matter of seconds, everything changes.

“You fell massively below the level of a careful driver. You simply drove into him from the rear. In other situations I would have to be thinking whether custody was appropriate.�

He sentenced Campbell to perform 210 hours of unpaid work and he will also have to take an extended retest when his driving ban ends.

A witness heading in the opposite direction on the A82 told the court at last month’s trial that he had seen Mr Whittaker riding around 300 yards ahead of Campbell’s vehicle at around 6.50pm on 23 March 2017..

The witness said that they slowed down to enable Campbell to move out and safely overtake the cyclist, but instead he drove straight into the back of him.

Mr Whittaker suffered head and back injuries and had to be operated on at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow for surgery.

He was forced to take eight months off work as a result of his injuries and once he returned, could only undertake light duties.

Campbell had also been charged with assault to severe Injury, permanent disfigurement and danger of life, but that was dropped due to his guilty plea to the less serious charge.

https://road.cc/content/news/269069-...e-back-cyclist

How is this possible?
Cyclists only ride on pavements and motorists never drive on pavements. [1]

[1]The fact that pedestrians are 200 times as likely to be killed on a pavement by a motor vehicle than a pedal cycle is not permitted to be mentioned on this group.

On 27/11/2019 21:09, Simon Mason wrote:

A motorist who drove into the back of a cyclist has been banned for driving for just 18 months and has also avoided a jail sentence after pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

The Helensburgh Advertiser reports that the injuries sustained by Andrew Whittaker when he was struck from behind by James Campbell in March 2017 resulted in him receiving a +++six-figure insurance payout.+++ (EMPHASIS MINE)

Campbell, a 28-year-old shepherd from Luss, Argyll & Bute, was driving his Toyota Hilux pickup truck when he hit Mr Whittaker on the A82 between Balloch and Dumbarton.

Last month, he pleaded guilty at Dumbarton Sheriff Court to causing severe injury and returned there last week for sentencing.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry told him: “You’re 28 years old, no previous convictions, a good member of the community and, in a matter of seconds, everything changes.

“You fell massively below the level of a careful driver. You simply drove into him from the rear. In other situations I would have to be thinking whether custody was appropriate.�

He sentenced Campbell to perform 210 hours of unpaid work and he will also have to take an extended retest when his driving ban ends.

A witness heading in the opposite direction on the A82 told the court at last month’s trial that he had seen Mr Whittaker riding around 300 yards ahead of Campbell’s vehicle at around 6.50pm on 23 March 2017.

The witness said that they slowed down to enable Campbell to move out and safely overtake the cyclist, but instead he drove straight into the back of him.

Mr Whittaker suffered head and back injuries and had to be operated on at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow for surgery.

He was forced to take eight months off work as a result of his injuries and once he returned, could only undertake light duties.

Campbell had also been charged with assault to severe Injury, permanent disfigurement and danger of life, but that was dropped due to his guilty plea to the less serious charge.

https://road.cc/content/news/269069-...e-back-cyclist

Sounds as though he got his just deserts, but...

....who wrote that story?

An eight-year-old?

"...suffered head and back injuries and had to be operated on at the
Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow for surgery"?

"Campbell had also been charged with assault to severe Injury, permanent
disfigurement and danger of life, but that was dropped"?

Operated on for surgery?

What does it even mean?

And then there's "assault to severe Injury" (with the green-ink use of a
random capital adding to it).

I do hope the sheep are going to be OK. But I expect a shepherd will be
still be able to drive on private land. And, indeed, why not?

On 28/11/2019 02:10, JNugent wrote:
On 27/11/2019 21:09, Simon Mason wrote:

A motorist who drove into the back of a cyclist has been banned for
driving for just 18 months and has also avoided a jail sentence after
pleading guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

The Helensburgh Advertiser reports that the injuries sustained by
Andrew Whittaker when he was struck from behind by James Campbell in
March 2017 resulted in him receiving a +++six-figure insurance
payout.+++ (EMPHASIS MINE)

Campbell, a 28-year-old shepherd from Luss, Argyll & Bute, was driving
his Toyota Hilux pickup truck when he hit Mr Whittaker on the A82
between Balloch and Dumbarton.

Last month, he pleaded guilty at Dumbarton Sheriff Court to causing
severe injury and returned there last week for sentencing.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry told him: “You’re 28 years old, no previous
convictions, a good member of the community and, in a matter of
seconds, everything changes.

“You fell massively below the level of a careful driver. You simply
drove into him from the rear. In other situations I would have to be
thinking whether custody was appropriate.�

He sentenced Campbell to perform 210 hours of unpaid work and he will
also have to take an extended retest when his driving ban ends.

A witness heading in the opposite direction on the A82 told the court
at last month’s trial that he had seen Mr Whittaker riding around 300
yards ahead of Campbell’s vehicle at around 6.50pm on 23 March 2017.

The witness said that they slowed down to enable Campbell to move out
and safely overtake the cyclist, but instead he drove straight into
the back of him.

Mr Whittaker suffered head and back injuries and had to be operated on
at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow for surgery.

He was forced to take eight months off work as a result of his
injuries and once he returned, could only undertake light duties.

Campbell had also been charged with assault to severe Injury,
permanent disfigurement and danger of life, but that was dropped due
to his guilty plea to the less serious charge.

https://road.cc/content/news/269069-...e-back-cyclist


Sounds as though he got his just deserts, but...

...who wrote that story?

An eight-year-old?

"...suffered head and back injuries and had to be operated on at the
Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow for surgery"?

"Campbell had also been charged with assault to severe Injury, permanent
disfigurement and danger of life, but that was dropped"?

Operated on for surgery?

What does it even mean?

And then there's "assault to severe Injury" (with the green-ink use of a
random capital adding to it).

I do hope the sheep are going to be OK. But I expect a shepherd will be
still be able to drive on private land. And, indeed, why not?


so the cyclist got a compo jackpot

On 28/11/2019 15:10, JNugent wrote:
"Campbell had also been charged with assault to severe Injury, permanent
disfigurement and danger of life, but that was dropped"?

What was dropped? The permanent disfigurement or the danger of [sic]
life? And how do you assault a severe Injury?
Oh English is a wondrous language --