Christopher Budd fined over Plymouth 'cruising' meet crash case

Christopher Budd was found guilty at Plymouth Crown Court of careless driving

A man who injured 17 spectators when he crashed during a car "cruising" event has been fined £500.

Seventeen people were hurt when Christopher Budd, 20, swerved into onlookers in the B&Q car park on Tavistock Road, Plymouth last July.

Budd, 20, of Trelawney Gardens, Liskeard, Cornwall, was found guilty of careless driving but cleared of a more serious dangerous driving charge.

He was ordered to pay £500 towards costs and given three penalty points.

A dangerous driving charge against Ryan Swaddling, 23, from Cleeve Drive, Ivybridge, was dismissed by Judge Ian Lawrie QC.

Mr Lawrie said he felt banning Budd from the road was not appropriate, but asked him if he was aware he could have killed someone.

Budd said he was and would not be attending cruising events in the future.

Victim Meghan Whitlock, who was knocked unconscious when Budd's car hit her, ran from the court in tears on hearing the sentence.

Parents of other victims told the BBC they were also unhappy with the term, and that Budd should at least have been banned from driving.

Summing up before the verdict, Mr Lawrie described Christopher Budd as "a man of good character" and told jurors they must decide whether "he was a young man who was driving dangerously or a young man who found himself in a terrible position".

He told the court the only issue to consider was his driving and not the injuries that people may have suffered or what might have been going through his mind.

Piers Norsworthy, defending, said Budd had driven at a safe speed but his foot had slipped while attempting to brake.

"In a moment of panic he swerved - without the slip, he could have stopped in time".

He told the court that "it was instinct that made [Budd] swerve, not a 'decision'."