Mansfield: Man jailed for driving van into teenager

As well as being jailed, John Gant has also been banned from driving for two years

A man who drove a van into a teenager he believed had stolen his son's motorbike has been jailed for 21 months.

John Gant saw the victim riding an e-bike in Ladybrook Lane, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, on 24 September 2022.

The 39-year-old, of Brick Kiln Lane in Mansfield, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday, when he was also handed a two-year driving ban.

'Unprovoked crime'

Nottinghamshire Police said the teenager was knocked off his e-bike and fractured his ankle, with Gant calling officers afterwards to report the theft of his son's motorbike and admitted he had "knocked" someone over.

The victim had no involvement in the theft of the motorbike.

Gant was also given a five-year restraining order preventing him from getting in touch with the victim.

Det Con Amelia Hicklin, who led the investigation, said the defendant had decided "to take the law into his own hands".

"Although the incident happened two years ago, the victim's injury still affects him physically, and he is unable to carry out as many sporting activities as he used to," she said.

"This unprovoked crime has had a profound effect on him and I hope he can draw some comfort from this outcome at court."