A YOUNG man jailed for seven months for cycling into a pensioner who later died will ‘live with the consequences for the rest of his life’, a court was told.

Pedestrian Ronald Harry Turner died from a head injury days after falling in a collision with cyclist Darren Kevin Hall, who admitted recklessly cycling around a blind corner on a Weymouth pavement.

Hall, 20, of Cromwell Road, Weymouth, admitted a charge of causing grievous bodily harm by ‘wanton or furious cycling’.

Ian Fenny, prosecuting, told Dorchester Crown Court that on Friday, August 8, last year, Mr Turner, who was just two days short of his 85th birthday, was walking along Dorchester Road in Weymouth, near the junction with Littlemoor Road.

He said Hall, who claimed he had been forced on to the pavement by a motorist, was riding his bike at ‘considerable speed’ as he approached the blind bend from the other direction and struck Mr Turner.

Mr Fenny said witness Sandra Vian described Hall as cycling ‘like a bat out of hell’ before the collision, which knocked Mr Turner into the road.

He said Hall immediately showed remorse for his actions, even trying to assist the off-duty medical staff who treated Mr Turner at the scene.

Mr Turner was taken to hospital and appeared to be in a ‘reasonably stable condition’.

A scan revealed a brain haemorrhage but Mr Turner was not deemed fit enough for surgical intervention.

Mr Fenny said that, despite initial signs of recovery, Mr Turner died on August 20 – 12 days after the incident – from a pulmonary embolism that a pathologist confirmed was a ‘direct result’ of the head injury sustained in the collision.

Mark Ruffell, in mitigation, said Hall had since been ‘plagued by guilt’, suffering nightmares and anxiety attacks.

He said: “No punishment that this court imposes will ever replace the loss to the Turner family for what the defendant did.”

Mr Ruffell added: “This is a young man who will live with the consequences for the rest of his life.”

Mr Ruffell said that, while Hall accepted he had been cycling in a reckless manner, ‘phrases like a bat out of hell are inappropriate’.

Judge Gary Burrell said: “Your recklessness on this evening has resulted in the death of a perfectly law abiding man. The family understandably are completely devastated by what you did.”

Judge Burrell also banned Hall from driving for 12 months.

Hall was convicted under an act that dates back to 1861 and refers to ‘drivers’ of carriages.