Uninsured VW Golf driver 'ashamed' by crash which damaged two cars

Joshua Paul Leeming, also known as Gerrard, was behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Golf on Peverell Avenue West, Poundbury, when he ‘swerved to avoid a crash’ with an oncoming vehicle on Sunday, October 11, 2020.

The resulting manoeuvre caused Leeming to strike a lamppost and two vehicles, namely a BMW and Ford Fiesta. His Golf was left overturned on the road.

Prosecuting, Siobhan Oxley, told Weymouth Magistrates’ court how he fled when a passer-by said she was going to call the police.

A car overturned following a crash in Poundbury. Picture: James Wilson

She said: “He lost consciousness for about 10 seconds. He said he was in shock and in pain and he ran away when he heard someone say they were going to call the police.

“The defendant during the police interview admits he had no insurance and panicked, hence why he ran away.

“He had been not using insurance for two weeks. He was honest with officers during the interview.”

Police officers responded to the ‘serious’ crash and carried out a search for the Golf’s driver and deployed a police helicopter to search the area. Leeming had at this point started to walk towards Maiden Newton and noticed a police helicopter flying in the area.

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In police interview, Leeming admitted that he didn’t call the police until Tuesday, October 13 about the collision when he confessed to being the driver of the Volkswagen Golf. He admitted that he had no insurance because he was ‘struggling for money’.

There was an allegation from a witness that Leeming ‘appeared drunk’ but this was unfounded as he was never breathalysed nor retrospectively proven to be intoxicated by police officers.

Leeming, aged 30, of Sheridan Close, Frampton near Dorchester, previously pleaded guilty to charges of being the driver of a vehicle that failed to stop after a road accident and driving a vehicle without insurance.

Referencing a pre-sentence report, a probation officer told the court Leeming had visited his ex-partner and was hopeful to see his children, before the collision.

A car overturned following a crash in Poundbury. Picture: James Wilson

She added he panicked due to not having any vehicle insurance.

She said: “He was embarrassed and many people stood around and no one helped. He knew he broke the law.

“I asked about 30mph, given the damage, however he says he was driving responsibly and driving within the limit. He has no idea why the car flipped or the severity of damage.

“He hurt his shoulder and he was very embarrassed.”

She added that Leeming was convinced by a friend to contact police about the crash after it was reported in the local news.

Leeming was also ‘remorseful’ of his actions, namely how one of the damaged car owners was left without a vehicle.

She said: “He said that the young lady that had the most damage to her vehicle and the impact to her was that she had a child and unable to take her to school.

“He did note that financial impact for this lady and second vehicle owner in terms of using public transport. He was able to know the wider impact that their insurance premiums would go up.

‘He was ashamed and embarrassed about what happened and when he was talking in the interview (with the probation service), he would like to redeem himself.

“I asked him in what way, but he was a little unsure and didn’t know if compensation would work.”

Magistrates banned Leeming from driving for 12 months and issued him a 12-month community order, undertake 100 hours of unpaid community work and 10 days of Rehabilitation Activity Requirement.

Leeming was also ordered to pay court costs of £85 and £95 victim surcharge.