Newbury maintenance driver left cyclist with multiple fractures after incident of careless driving on Hungerford high street - Reading Magistrate’s Court hears

A Newbury maintenance driver left a cyclist with multiple fractures after an incident of careless driving on Hungerford high street.

Michael Clark of Kersey Crescent, Speen, had been driving his Ford Mondeo car on November 18, 2022 when he performed a dangerous manoeuvre that left Ian Catt seriously injured.

The court heard the 31-year-old was turning into a parking space and Mr Catt cycled into the back of his car.

Emily Hodge, prosecuting, said CCTV footage of the incident showed how the Ford Mondeo had turned into the path of Mr Catt’s bicycle.

“The cyclist then makes contact with the rear of the vehicle”, Ms Hodge explained. “An ambulance had to attend and the complainant was taken to Great Western Hospital.”

Ms Hodge told Reading Magistrates Court that Mr Catt had suffered numerous fractures to his right eye socket, to his right cheek bone, to his right collar bone and an injury to his right kidney.

The victim had to be referred to specialist teams for treatment and a statement taken from Mr Catt a year later showed he was still suffering as a result, Ms Hodge told the magistrates.

Clark had not been before the court for a previous offence since 2015 and he had no driving matters on his record, the prosecutor added.

When he appeared before magistrates for his first appearance on Wednesday, August 28, he admitted one count of causing serious injury by careless or inconsiderate driving.

Adonis Daniel, defending, asked for a community penalty to be imposed on his client, pointing out the matter had taken “an enormous amount of time” to come to court.

“There has been no further incidents so far as Mr Clark is concerned”, Mr Daniel pointed out.

The defending lawyer also suggested that if the case had been a civil matter, there would have been some blame placed on the cyclist.

“This is someone simply turning into a parking space, injuries are sustained because he then collides to the back of the vehicle. One has to question what observations he has taken and what speed is he travelling”, Mr Daniel argued.

Clark had also suffered a psychological impact due to the incident, particularly as he is someone who drives for a living, Mr Daniel explained.

“He works for Sovereign Housing Association as one of their maintenance persons”, the lawyer said. “He is constantly on the road and around. There is nothing on his record to suggest he is anything other than a safe driver.”

Magistrates decided to adjourn the sentencing to a later date so a pre-sentence report could be completed about Clark, who was bailed until a date to be determined.