Royal Mail driver left with life-changing injuries after being hit by crop sprayer

The spouse of a Royal Mail lorry driver has voiced her shock at the court sentence given to the farmer who nearly took her husband's life, describing his injuries and how fortunate he is to have survived. David Gotham was on his way home after a night shift delivering parcels to depots in Cornwall when one of the spraying arms from a Bateman crop sprayer swung out and struck his lorry cabin. The collision occurred near the former Chybucca junction on the A30 near Truro on 25 August 2023, and life for David and his wife Evie has been drastically different ever since.

"Considering what my husband went through," Evie stated, "I think the sentence he received is shocking. I got the impression that he was not that remorseful but David nearly died." David, now aged 50, was rushed to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth on the day of the crash, which happened at 8.14am, and was placed into a medically induced coma for almost three weeks.

Evie knows the exact time of the accident - because that's when David's smartphone, detecting a crash, sent an emergency alert. "When I visited the hospital," Evie continued, "his right ribcage was up under his arm. One of his ribs was in his lungs.

His liver was ruptured and his other lung was struggling and only working about 10 per cent of its capacity." NHS[1] staff at Derriford were able to clean up David's lungs and when he contracted a viral lung infection, they managed to concoct some bespoke antibiotics when the standard ones failed. They saved his life, reports Cornwall Live[2].

David, hailing from Plymstock, has been left with life-altering injuries following the crash. He's now blind in his right eye and has sustained permanent nerve damage to one of his arms, which means he can no longer drive lorries as he did for Royal Mail for three decades. After a six-month period of recovery, David returned to work, but not behind the wheel.

He's now based at the Royal Mail office in Roborough on the outskirts of Plymouth, where he assists with logistics. "We are lucky that he is alive. It was touch and go at Derriford," Evie recounted. "On two occasions, the doctors told me he may not make it through the night.

It was pretty scary. He still suffers from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and had to go through counselling for the nightmares he kept having." She continued: "The Royal Mail have been so supportive.

They have been phenomenal and so have the police officers who investigated the collision. I want to thank PC Chris Braddon from Camborne police who has helped us so much through this. He's been brilliant."

Despite the ordeal, David has painstakingly relearned basic life skills such as eating, walking, and using the toilet independently. Yet, despite all he has endured, the man responsible for the accident has avoided a custodial sentence. Paul Harris, 69, from Germoe near Penzance, escaped harm in a crash and admitted to causing serious injury by careless/inconsiderate driving at Truro Magistrates' Court earlier this year.

Sentencing onJune 6 saw him receive a 12-month ban from driving, alongside a GBP480 fine, GBP85 court costs, and a GBP192 victim surcharge. Evie commented on the outcome, saying Harris pleaded with the magistrates for clemency to avoid prison time and ended up with what she believes is a very lenient sentence. "In a sense David and I are glad that he pleaded guilty and it was dealt with quickly so David didn't have to go through it all again in court. We don't wish Mr Harris any harm, and justice has been served, but we wished he had received a bit more justice.

"Even if he doesn't feel bad about it or doesn't seem to show any remorse, he'll still live with this for the rest of his life.

Unfortunately, so will David."

References

1. ^ NHS (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
2. ^ Cornwall Live (www.cornwalllive.com)