TT team boss crashed van into parked cars

Clive Padgett was sentenced by magistrates at Douglas Courthouse

An Isle of Man TT team owner who crashed his van into two parked cars before driving off has been fined £1,300.

Clive Padgett, of Turnberry Avenue in Onchan, crashed into the vehicles, which were parked on Victoria Road in Onchan, on the evening of 28 May.

Douglas Courthouse heard the 65-year-old then left his van on a nearby road before walking home without reporting the damage he had done.

Magistrates also endorsed Padgett's drivers licence with seven penalty points and ordered him to pay £125 in prosecution costs.

The court heard Padgett had been driving along Victoria Road at about 22:00 BST when he crashed into the two parked cars, causing damage to one that was so severe it was "rendered undrivable".

He then turned his Mercedes Sprinter van into Poplar Road nearby and parked it before walking back to his home in Onchan, a route that took him past the police station.

The owner of one of the cars was alerted to the damage by his daughter, and found the parked van when he went out take a look before reporting the incident to police.

'Responsibility'

The police investigation led to the Milenco by Padgetts motorcycle team, a member of which contacted the 65-year-old.

While on speaker phone with officers listening in, he confirmed he had been involved in the crash and had left the scene without reporting it.

Police arrested him at his home address and when interviewed he said he had "panicked".

He later pleaded guilty to charges of driving without due care and attention and failing to report an accident.

Padgett's defence advocate said he had not wanted to knock on doors at that time of night and had intended to report the crash the following morning, but accepted he should have gone straight to the police.

The 65-year-old was "embarrassed and ashamed" by what had happened and wanted to offer his apologies to the owners of both cars, he added.

Handing him the fine, magistrates chairman David Christian told Padgett he had "had a responsibility that night to report that crash".