Dangerous driver caused an accident which left a man with life changing injuries

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Monday, June 25, how Andrew Cooke, 32, of St Lawrence Avenue, Bolsover, was driving a Volvo on Woodthorpe Road, at Mastin Moor, at night when he overtook a Toyota on a bend and went into the path of an on-coming Kia before swerving back into the Toyota.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop said: “The complainant was driving in his vehicle on Woodthorpe Road, Mastin Moor, in a Kia.

“It’s a country road and it’s unlit and it was night time and Cooke was following a witness in a Toyota vehicle and he overtook that vehicle.”

Mrs Allsop added that as Cooke began overtaking he was confronted with the complainant’s Kia and swerved to the left and hit the Toyota which went into a hedge.

The driver of the Kia had to be air-lifted to hospital with life-changing injuries, according to Mrs Allsop, including a dislocated and fractured hip, a fractured pelvis, a dislocated and fractured left knee, a fractured elbow, a fractured eye socket and a retinal injury.

The court heard how this complainant needed four operations and his son, who was a passenger, suffered an injury to an eye and is waiting to find out if he needs an operation.

Cooke pleaded guilty to two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving after the incident on November 2, last year.

Magistrates committed Cooke’s case to Derby Crown Court for sentencing on July 16.

Cooke was released on unconditional bail.

Magistrates, who understood Cooke will eventually receive a mandatory disqualification, allowed the defendant to continue driving in the meantime after they chose not to impose an interim disqualification.