Lorry driver's ban cut on appeal

A lorry driver from Wolverhampton who left a man seriously injured when he performed a U-turn has had his driving ban cut on appeal – after judges heard he could be forced to sell his house if he could not drive.

But Edward Bishop, of Warstones Road, Penn, failed in his challenge against the prison sentence he was handed for dangerous driving in Staffordshire. Top judges rejected arguments the four-month jail term imposed after Bishop pleaded guilty at Stafford Crown Court in November was "manifestly excessive".

At the time Bishop, aged 42, also got an 18-month driving ban.

This was cut to 12 months at London's Court of Appeal yesterday after Lord Justice Elias, sitting with Mr Justice Nicol and Judge Anthony Scott-Gall, heard that otherwise his ability to earn a living would be affected once he has been released from prison.

They were also told he may have to sell his house.

The court heard that Bishop was guilty of a "moment of madness" when he tried to execute the u-turn on the A38 in Barton-under-Needwood in the dark on December 6 last year.

His HGV blocked the road as he tried to turn it through a gap in the carriageway, and a driver smashed into the back of it.

Although not seriously injured by that crash, motorist Ivan Hvlana – who had got out of his Audi – was catapulted across the road when another car ran into the back of his own vehicle, leaving him with serious injuries.

Rejecting Bishop's challenge to the four-month jail term, Lord Justice Elias said that, although it was "always very sad" when someone was sent to prison for a "moment of madness", it was justified in this particular case.

However he said that there was no reason to have gone beyond the recommended 12-month ban for a single, short incident of bad driving.

The A38, one of the busiest routes through Staffordshire, was closed in both directions after the crash, which caused miles of tailbacks.