Powys man jailed for injuring police in dangerous overtake
Ian Vaughan, 32, from Machynlleth, was left unscathed in the crash involving his white flatbed van and a red Nissan car driven by Edward Bates along the A487 between Bow Street and Talybont on June 20, 2023. He overtook a Mansel Davies lorry on solid double white lines after his boss, who was travelling ahead of him, told him to hurry up. Police tested Vaughan's blood which showed he was driving with cannabis in his system which was below the legal limit.
"You quite deliberately pulled out and within moments the full horror of your decision came into play, resulting in a significant collision. "I know you haven't had the easiest of upbringings and little while before this incident there was a break-up in your relationship but that doesn't explain the deliberate decision to overtake which was plainly dangerous." COURT NEWS | Newtown man bailed from prison after carrying crowbar and kicking police[1]
The court heard that victim Mr Bates was heading to work in Carmarthenshire when he saw the van travelling towards him while overtaking a line of traffic. Both vehicles veered into a hedge to try and avoid a collision, but the van hit the Nissan's passenger side. Vaughan, who called the police, went to help Mr Bates out of the vehicle and apologised for causing the collision.
Mr Bates told the court in person that Vaughan's "selfish and dangerous" act has had a "massive" impact on his life which will "never be the same again" after being pulled from his frontline police role and missing several promotions at work. "My future prospects look bleak," he said. "My life is in limbo which has deeply affected my mental health. Now I'm very depressed and not being able to do the frontline job which I loved."
OTHER NEWS | Powys could be hit by TORNADOES as Storm Darragh arrives, organisation warns[2] Mr Bates explained that since his week-long stay in hospital, which meant missing his son's 13th birthday, he has had more than 50 medical appointments and is waiting for his second operation on his wrist. He added that he's been left in daily pain from serious knee and back injuries, and suffers from severe depression and PTSD.
Vaughan's barrister told the judge that his client helped the victim out of the car which had been seen by another witness, phoned police and admitted he was at fault at the scene. "It is entirely accepted that there were double white lines. He tells me that he honestly believed the coast was clear and there was no oncoming vehicle," he said.
"Mr Vaughan knows he is going to have a prison sentence. He has come with a bag fully accepting responsibility and blame. "He is assessed as low risk of reoffending.
He is not someone who poses a danger to the public. A prison sentence is inevitable, and I ask your honour to consider suspending it." The court was told that the bike park worker was due to have a job interview at a Machynlleth care home on Monday.
'Full horror'
Sentencing Vaughan, Judge Walters said: "On your own account you tried to overtake one of these lorries at a point where clearly visibility is not perfect and was somewhat limited, but the astonishing thing is choosing to do so while there were double white lines forbidding any overtaking manoeuvre.
"Now you've been driving long enough to know that when road signs appear they are there to assist motorists to drive lawfully and responsibly. They are there for a purpose because the local authority has recognised a need to prohibit that behaviour at that point. "This wasn't two vehicles momentarily coming into collision.
This was one almighty collision as seen from the damage. "To your credit you always said that you were in the wrong and you continued to do so. One of the concerning parts of the pre-sentence report is an account you gave, not to police but to the author of the report: 'Whilst Mr Vaughan denies driving at excessive speed, he felt in a rush to get to his destination having received a call from his boss who travelling ahead of him instructing him to hurry up'.
'Borne out of impatience'
"I've no reason to doubt the honesty of that account but it may provide the clue that the papers do not reveal as to why you took that decision; borne out of impatience.
"If it be right for your boss to tell you to hurry up, then I hope he's had the time to think about the appropriateness for that having what happened between you and your victim's vehicle." What are your thoughts? You can send a letter to the editor to have your say by clicking here[3].
"This is a consequence of an impatient driver. When you take onto the road, it's not only your own safety on your mind but all other road users as this incident proves. "Your victim read his own statement.
He's counted 53 medical appointments, spent a week in hospital and was unable to drive at all for seven months and claims his continued injuries will have an adverse effect on his career opportunities that he may well have had. "You mercifully left your vehicle apparently unscathed. It may well be you were the one who got these injuries, and he was unscathed.
"The fact is one cannot rewrite history. He will have to suffer for some continuing time after. A case that caused significant harm and longstanding harm, possibly lifelong.
"The view I take given that the decisions to overtake where you did was deliberate and a dangerous manoeuvre, that does need to be marked by an appropriate sentence.
"Having considered all these matters, it is a sentence of 16 months imprisonment. You will be disqualified for three years and eight months. You will also have to pass an extended retest.
"I'm afraid, Mr Vaughan, despite the considerable thought I've given I'm driven to the sure conclusion that is the right sentence today.
You will end up serving more than half the sentence.
You will be released at no more than the halfway point of the sentence."
References
- ^ Newtown man bailed from prison after carrying crowbar and kicking police (www.countytimes.co.uk)
- ^ Powys could be hit by TORNADOES as Storm Darragh arrives, organisation warns (www.countytimes.co.uk)
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