Crash driver suffered seizure
MOTORIST HAD CRASHED SAME VEHICLE IN SAME ROAD THE PREVIOUS WEEK
A 38-YEAR-OLD Derbyshire motorist was suffering a partial seizure when he lost control of the van he was driving and ploughed into a food bank queue.
Martin Casey’s actions left a number of people seriously injured during the incident in Kirk Hallam.
And a hearing at Nottingham Crown Court was told how he crashed the same van in the same road the previous week.
Dressed in a black jacket and sky blue T-shirt, Casey pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and to two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving when he appeared over videolink from Wakefield Prison.
But he pleaded not guilty to a number of more serious charges – two allegations of grievous bodily harm with intent and four allegations of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent.
Prosecutor Jeremy Janes told the hearing: “Those pleas are acceptable to the prosecution. This case has been considerably reviewed a number of times and has included getting eminent experts in their field from both the prosecution and the defence to provide reports.
“Those reports make it clear it is more likely than not that Mr Casey was suffering a partial seizure on both occasions [he crashed the van].”
The incident took place on July 5 last year, when police were called to Kenilworth Drive, in Kirk Hallam, after reports of a crash involving a van and a number of people.
Three casualties were taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre, in Nottingham, and one was taken to Ilkeston Community Hospital, while a fifth was treated at the scene.
Casey, of College Street, Long Eaton, will be sentenced on Monday and was remanded into custody by Judge Timothy Spencer QC who said: “I will need to see the most up-to-date medical evidence about the nature of the injuries caused and the future prognosis.
“Mr Casey, you know you are in a very serious position. You have been in prison for a very long time now and you are likely to remain so when you are sentenced on Monday.”