Derbyshire mechanic crashed neighbour’s car at work while banned from driving

Craig English, 35, left “skidmarks” on the road behind him after “heavy braking” moments before colliding with the HGV, Chesterfield Magistrates Court heard.

Prosecutor Becky Allsop described how the parked lorry was blocking the road at a Barlborough industrial estate during the July 27 accident.

She said: “The lorry driver had left restricted access due to the parked vehicle - making it essentially a single-track road.

“Mr English was driving in the opposite direction when the collision occurred.

“Mr English’s vehicle suffered damage and there were a number of skidmarks behind the vehicle consistent with hard braking.”

Ms Allsop said when police arrived at the scene on High Hazels Road checks revealed the defendant was serving a driving ban.

The court heard English had a previous conviction for harassment in 2018.

His solicitor Ben Strelley told the court the defendant had “come off worse” and was hospitalised with a fractured hip.

While he had also lost his job as a mechanic.

Mr Strelley said: “On that day in question he was working as a mechanic on the industrial estate.

“It was a customer vehicle, it was his neighbour’s vehicle and he was going to test it - however they are public roads and he knows he should not have been driving.”

English, of Emmett Carr Lane, Renishaw, admitted driving while disqualified and while uninsured.

He was banned for a further six months, handed 120 hours’ unpaid work, made to pay £85 court costs and a £95 victim surcharge.

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