Declan Osborne: How teenager's dreams were wrecked by dangerous driving
Declan Osborne has no understanding of time and place, was robbed of his sense of taste and smell and is unable to live independently.
He wanted to become a bricklayer but that dream - and much more - was snatched from his grasp by the dreadful driving of father-of-five Danny Dale.
Declan Osborne suffered life-changing injuries when his moped was hit by a Honda Civic not far from his home.
The victim - 16 at the time of the incident on January 30 2016 - received a broken leg, fractured jaw and eye socket, bruised lungs and a grave brain injury.
The last of these has had the most devastating impact on the former pupil of Ormiston Forge Academy in Cradley Heath.
Details were given to Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday as Dale, aged 26 and from Habberley Road, Blackheath, was jailed for five years following his conviction for causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Declan has been robbed of his sense of taste and smell together with his understanding of time and place.
He also has problems with his balance and is incapable of independent living.
He was turning right from Birmingham Road into Macmillan Road, Rowley Regis when struck by the Honda Civic Dale had no right to drive.
The motorist had lied to get insurance for another car but even that would not have covered him when behind the wheel of the vehicle which belonged to the girlfriend of an acquaintance called Jonathan Mundle who let him take the Honda for a test drive.
Mr Mundle, whom Dale falsely accused of causing the crash by pulling on the handbrake, warned the defendant to slow down as the car hurtled along at over twice the speed limit.
Front-seat passenger Mr Mundle told the court: "It was not safe to overtake on that stretch of road but he did.
"I first saw the moped rider when it was two car lengths in front of us. I braced myself because I knew what was going to happen."
Pedestrian Mr Steven Breakwell explained: "The car passed me at 65 to 70mph on the wrong side of the road. He braked heavily and hit the scooter. I saw the lad go up in the air and his helmet flying off."
Private hire driver Mr Adel Ahmed, whose taxi had just been overtaken by Dale, recalled: "He was going so fast he couldn't stop and hit the moped whose rider did nothing wrong."
The defendant got out of the car and ran away without even checking on the condition of Declan.
He did not hand himself in to police until three days later and consistently denied responsibility for the crash.
