A speeding driver who seriously injured two people when he caused a collision which sounded like “a bomb going off” was today jailed for three years.
Charlie Gaskin, 33, from Newark, smashed in to a van being driven by plumber Simon Gurnhill after driving straight through a red light on the outskirts of Lincoln.
Both Mr Gurnhill and Shaunie Tebbutt, who was being given a lift in Gaskin’s 4×4 Jeep Cherokee, suffered serious injuries and were taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.
Mr Gurnhill, who was driving home to Washingborough after visiting his girlfriend, was turning right from Tiber Road to Newark Road in North Hykeham when he was struck by Gaskin.
He spent nine days in hospital after suffering six fractured ribs, a fractured pelvis, a punctured lung, and lacerations to his liver and kidney.
Miss Tebbutt also spent a week in hospital after suffering two fractured ribs, a laceration to her liver and a large cut to her forehead which needed ten stitches.
Lincoln Crown Court heard Gaskin had come to the attention of police minutes before the 1am collision when he drove off from a patrol car on Tritton Road after Miss Tebbutt was bundled in to his 4×4 following an argument.
Phil Howes, prosecuting, said Mr Gurnhill could only remember waking up in hospital but the collision was seen by a number of witnesses.
Mr Howes told the court one witness estimated Gaskin driving at up to 80mph after describing his vehicle “swaying left to right, and “looking unbalanced.”
Other witnesses described Gaskin as “nailing it,” estimating his speed as between 90 to 100mph, and said the massive impact “was like a bomb going off.”
The court heard Mr Gurnhill was left hanging out of his van and was pulled away by a witness who feared it might catch light.
Mr Howes said Gaskin ran away from the scene leaving two injured people behind. A police helicopter was mobilised and Gaskin was arrested an hour later after officers stopped a van near Hill Holt wood on the A46.
Gaskin again ran from the scene but was detained by a police dog and taken to hospital where he was treated for injuries sustained during his arrest.
In his victim impact statement Mr Gurnhill described the consequences of the collision as a “disaster” for him.
The court heard Mr Gurnhill was unable to work or see his two children for several months and needed to move in with his mother.
Mr Gurnhill said once he returned to work he still found it very difficult to lift heavy items such as radiators or boliers.
In her victim impact statement Miss Tebbutt said she was still suffering headaches nine months after the crash and did not like getting in to cars.
Siward James-Moore, mitigating, said Gaskin “felt terrible” for the injuries he had caused to two blameless victims.
Mr James-Moore told the court Gaskin was also the main source of help for his father who supported an extended family which included five grand children and 20 horses.
Gaskin, of Tolney Lane, Newark, admitted two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving on September 9 last year.
He was also banned from driving for four and half years and must take an extended re-test.
Passing sentence Judge Andrew Easteal told Gaskin: “You drove in an immensely dangerous fashion which had a devastating impact on two entirety innocent people.”
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