Drunk ex-soldier driving van mowed down two friends outside nightclub
A FORMER soldier mowed down two people outside a nightclub while four times over the drink-drive limit.
One of his victims suffered a bleed on the brain and is in the process of having a feeding tube inserted into his stomach.
The other victim has been left seriously injured and told he may have a permanent limp and suffer from arthritis.
Adam Taylor, 31, has been jailed for two years and eight months after the incident the Banc night club in Pentre, near Treorchy, at 1.30am on Sunday, June 9.
Before he drove into the two men – friends Luke Matthews and Ben Nicholas – he had been seen intoxicated and “stumbling all over the place” in the club.
Witnesses described the sound of the collision as “like an explosion” and said one of the victims was thrown into the air.
At a sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court, prosecutor Gareth James said Mr Nicholas was so badly hurt he was unable to provide an account of what happened. Mr Matthews described hearing loud screams as he walked down Llewellyn Street.
Mr James said: “When he turned around he saw the headlights of a white van speeding towards him and a crowd of people around him. It appeared the driver had lost control of the vehicle, Mr Matthews tried to move out of the way but was too slow and there were too many people stood in front of him.
“The headlights came closer and closer and the next thing he remembers is coming to on the road lying on his right-hand side. He felt intense pain which was so great he could not get up. Ben Nicholas was so severely injured he has been unable to provide a statement.”
Other witnesses described seeing the white Citroen Berlingo swerving from left to right and speeding up and slowing down, reaching speeds between 40mph and 50mph. It was clear to those who saw the vehicle that the driver was intoxicated, the court heard.
As he approached the crowd of people, Taylor was seen speeding up and continued straight on.
A witness saw Mr Nicholas being thrown “into the air”. As a result of the collision, he suffered a severe head injury and was treated on the intensive care unit. There were small areas of hemorrhaging throughout his brain and there was a degree of brain swelling.
Mr Nicholas is making slow but steady progress and is able to stand up with support and can sit up in a chair. He is in the process of having a feeding tube inserted into his stomach.
Mr Matthews sustained a fracture and dislocated his right ankle, a broken bone in his left wrist and superficial cuts to his hands, chin, forehead and bruising to his left eye. His ankle injury required surgery and his foot effectively had to be rebuilt.
Following the collision, Taylor remained in the vehicle and locked the doors after a crowd gathered around it.
The police arrived and removed Taylor from the vehicle. He appeared unsteady on his feet, smelled of intoxicants and failed a roadside breathalyser test, with a score of 135mg per 100ml of breath which was four times over the legal limit.
He was arrested and on the way to the station he admitted to drink driving but claimed the victims had run out in front of him. On arrival, Taylor became abusive and obstructive and refused to provide a sample to be tested.
In interview, the defendant admitted drinking about eight pints of lager and cider that night and claimed he didn’t see the victims because he wasn’t paying attention. He was shown CCTV footage of the incident and became upset and remorseful.
Taylor later pleaded guilty to two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and one count of failing to provide a specimen.
In a victim impact statement to the court, Mr Nicholas’ partner Carrieann Jones described him as a “lovely, caring, hardworking family man” who loved playing football and spending time with his family.
Ms Jones said he had missed out on seeing his three-year-old son since the incident and plans for the couple to marry and have another child have been put on hold because of his injury.
She added: “I witnessed the traumatic event that happened to my fiance. It will never leave my mind the images of the headlights. You think it can never happen to you but it did, my life turned upside down on that roadside and I thought my fiance and father of my child was dead.”
In his impact statement, Mr Matthews said the incident had made him feel anxious and he now suffers from flashbacks. He also struggles to get in a car due to his anxiety.
He had to use a wheelchair and is now on crutches. He was told he may be left with a permanent limp and may suffer from arthritis.
He added: “I am depressed, miserable and constantly down in the dumps and I constantly think about what happened. I was really outgoing and jokey but this has really affected me.”
In mitigation, defence barrister Stephen Thomas said his client had served in Afghanistan and was diagnosed with PTSD in 2014 due to his experiences in the army. As a result of his condition, he began binge drinking to block out his thoughts.
Days before the collision, Taylor’s relationship broke down and he lost his job as a result, causing him to have a breakdown.
Mr Thomas said: “There was no intention by this defendant to hurt anyone.”
Sentencing, Judge Geraint Walters said the defendant had made a “deliberate decision” to drive despite being heavily intoxicated.
He added: “You may as well have been driving blindfolded as you drove away that night and the decision you took has blighted the lives of two individuals who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Taylor, of John Street, Ton Pentre, was also disqualified from driving for five years and four months.