Driving ban for man who hit pedestrian in Swindon

A man in his 60s from Swindon sustained a bleed on the brain and impaired vision

A man has been given a three-year driving ban following a collision which seriously injured a pedestrian.

Wayne Dyke, 61, from Chippenham, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by careless driving and was sentenced at Swindon Magistrates Court on 24 November.

Dyke was driving along Hobley Drive in Swindon at 08:00 GMT on 28 October.

He failed to stop at red traffic lights at the junction with Ermin Street and hit the pedestrian.

The pedestrian, a man in his 60s from Swindon, sustained a bleed on the brain and impaired vision, the court was told.

In a victim impact statement supplied to the sentencing hearing, the man said he now has to wear an eye patch and suffers with memory loss, headaches and fatigue.

He added: "Mentally, I used to go out regularly to socialise. For the first four months, I couldn't leave the house on my own.

"I don't feel safe around crowds and still feel anxious crossing roads."

As well as the three-year disqualification, Dyke was given a suspended 22-month prison sentence, ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, pay a £187 surcharge and £425 Crown Prosecution Service costs.

PC Craig Beales, of the Roads Policing Unit, said: "This case just highlights how important it is to pay full attention to the road at all times.

"A collision can occur in a split second and the impact it could have on someone's life can be significant."