Road rage driver who crashed into family sentenced

Gareth Jobson smashed into a family's car on the North Seaton roundabout in July

A road rage driver who could have killed a family of four when he crashed into their car has been given a suspended prison term.

Gareth Jobson, 45, was pursuing another car when he sped on to a roundabout in North Seaton, near Ashington, Northumberland, and smashed into a vehicle containing two adults and their young daughters, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Jobson, of North Shields, North Tyneside, who had been drinking alcohol before the crash, fled without checking if he had hurt anyone, prosecutors said.

He admitted dangerous driving, driving without insurance and failing to stop after or report an accident and was jailed for 14 months suspended for 21 months, with 200 hours unpaid work.

Jobson was driving his black Audi "erratically" and at speed as he followed and tried to repeatedly overtake a Volvo on the A189, close to Woodhorn Country Park, on 21 July, prosecutor David Robinson-Young said.

As the two cars approached the North Seaton roundabout, Jobson drove out and smashed into a Kia Sportage which was already on the junction, the court heard.

The man and woman in the car and their seven-year-old daughter were taken to hospital, while their seven-month-old baby was uninjured.

Jobson shouted at the couple in the Volvo and drove off against the flow of traffic without making any checks if anyone was "harmed or not", Mr Robinson-Young said.

'Deeply ashamed'

In a statement read to the court, the female passenger who owned the Kia Sportage through a mobility scheme, said she had been "traumatised" by the crash and was plagued by flashbacks and visions of her family being killed.

"Both my daughters were in the car," the woman said, adding: "The driver could have killed all of us."

She said she could "never forgive" Jobson for fleeing the scene, adding: "It was clear he had no care or concern for my family's welfare."

Both she and her partner said they had been left in "crippling pain" by the smash, and it cost her £2,000 to take out a lease for a new car.

Footage from a pub showed Jobson drinking shortly before the crash but, because he left the scene, police were unable to get an alcohol reading.

The court heard Jobson had several previous convictions, including one for drink driving in 2003.

In mitigation, Helen Towers said Jobson, of Netherton Avenue, was "deeply ashamed" of his driving and his decision to flee.

She said he had children and could "only imagine the turmoil" caused to the family.

Judge Sarah Mallett said Jobson's offending was so serious it crossed the custody threshold but the jail term could be suspended because there was a "realistic prospect of rehabilitation", he had "strong personal mitigation" and there was currently a "serious issue with prison overcrowding".

Jobson was also banned from driving for two and a half years and ordered to pay £2,500 compensation at a rate of £50 a week.