Doctor who maimed security guard after 'truly terrible' driving has road ban reduced

Daryl Perera, 29, was shattered after working two 12-hour shifts at Sandwell General Hospital at the time of the accident.

The medic, from High Wycombe, shot through a give-way sign in the city centre in July last year and sped 'blindly across a junction'.

He collided with another car and a passing pedestrian was crushed against a wall.

A security guard coming home from his night shift suffered 'massive and life-changing injuries', Lord Justice Irwin told London's Appeal Court.

The hard-working family man sustained head wounds which caused a stroke, as well as spinal and leg fractures and damage to his spleen.

He was hospitalised for five months after the accident and, at the time of sentence, 'could not dress himself or his children', said the judge.

But despite his ordeal, he had been 'most impressive in his calmness and lack of bitterness'.

Perera, of Cressex Road, was jailed for two years at Birmingham Crown Court in June after he admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He was a young doctor with 'excellent prospects' who had shown 'deep and genuine remorse', the court heard.

But, refusing to cut his jail term, the judge said he was guilty of a 'truly dreadful and terrible piece of driving' and his sentence was 'severe, but not excessive'.

However, Lord Justice Irwin, sitting with Mr Justice Picken and Judge Mark Lucraft, went on to cut Perera's driving ban from five years to two.