Casino boss spared jail after potentially fatal overtake
A woman’s driving skills averted a potential triple tragedy after a devil-may-care Jeep driver shot straight over the brow of a hill on the wrong side of the road and ploughed into her car.
Scarborough casino boss Lee Parker, 44, overtook a car as he approached the top of a “blind summit” on the notorious A171 between Whitby and Scaling Dam at around 8pm on January 3. Approaching in the opposite direction was a small, two-seater Smart Roadster driven by 55-year-old Clare Butterfield, who performed a drastic, potentially-life-saving, swerve to the left at the last moment. She couldn’t prevent a collision, but avoided a potential head-on crash which could have had “catastrophic” consequences, York Crown Court heard. Prosecutor Austin Newman said the Smart car swung around 180 degrees following impact and ended up in a ditch.
Ms Butterfield, from Whitby, was trapped inside the vehicle and had to be cut free by firefighters before being taken to hospital. She suffered whiplash and severe bruising. Parker was arrested and charged with dangerous driving. He admitted the offence and appeared for sentence on Monday staring down the barrel of an immediate jail sentence. Mr Newman said Ms Butterfield was now seeking compensation for loss of earnings and irrevocable damage to her car.
Parker, who was also taken to hospital, told officers he was behind what he thought was a highways maintenance vehicle travelling at about 40mph when he decided to overtake, but “misjudged the speed”.
Defence barrister Glen Parsons said Parker, a married father-of-two of Middlesbrough, had worked in the casino business for 20 years but his manager’s licence, job and family’s financial security would be at stake if he were sent to jail. Judge Paul Batty QC said Parker’s driving was so dangerous that a custodial sentence was inevitable, but because of his lack of previous convictions, his employment and family commitments, he could “just” spare him a spell behind bars. Parker was given a 12-month suspended jail term and 30-month driving ban. He was also ordered to carry out 200 hours’ unpaid work and pay £250 prosecution costs.
A potential head-on collision could have had ‘catastrophic’ consequences.