The Judge, who watched CCTV footage of the incident, said it was ‘shocking and horrifying’
Cayton Daniel (left) and Daniel Biglin both admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving(Image: Hull Live)
Two Vauxhall Astra drivers have been jailed after racing at “grossly excessive speed” – and one of them collided with a food delivery driver on a moped. The moped rider suffered life-threatening injuries in the crash, Hull Crown Court heard.
Judge John Thackray KC watched the CCTV footage compiled from cameras at a number of properties along Holderness Road, east Hull. He described the pictures as “shocking and horrifying” because they showed the drivers treating the road, which has a 30mph speed limit, “like a racetrack.”
Daniel Biglin, 30, of Westlands Road, Sproatley, near Hull, and Cayton Daniel, 26, of Grasby Road, east Hull, both admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving on March 16 last year.
Jane Rapin, prosecuting, said that the delivery driver, who had around two years’ experience in the job, started work at 5pm and, at around 7.15pm, he picked up some food from a takeaway on Holderness Road for delivery to a customer on Westcott Street, off Holderness Road. He marked the delivery as complete at 7.32pm and set off along Westcott Street towards Holderness Road, heading to McDonalds on Holderness Road.
He came to the end of Westcott Street, at the junction with Holderness Road, and stopped at the junction to give way. He stopped for traffic and looked both left and right to ensure that it was clear.
When it was clear to do so, he pulled out of the junction and turned onto Holderness Road, heading towards Hull city centre. “Pretty soon after he turned onto Holderness Road, he heard an engine revving and thought the car was going to overtake him,” said Miss Rapin.
“He then felt the back end of his moped being pushed and raised up and remembers not being in control of it anymore. He then had a feeling of not holding anything in his hands anymore and that the moped had been pulled away from him.
“His next memory was coming to, as he was lying on Holderness Road, where a member of the public was trying to comfort him and telling him that an ambulance was on the way.” The rider was taken by Yorkshire Ambulance Service to Hull Royal Infirmary with life-threatening injuries.
The compilation of CCTV footage showed the cars racing and one very close behind the other. “This shows the defendants travelling in the same direction as each other and at speed, although the exact speed could not be determined,” said Miss Rapin.
It showed Daniel Biglin’s blue Vauxhall Astra following Cayton Daniel’s silver Astra. Witnesses described the defendants “racing and speeding”, said Miss Rapin.
Cayton Daniel collided with the rear of the moped. The driver stayed at the scene but Biglin left the scene. Police arrested him the following day after he went to work.
In a police interview, Biglin said the other Astra driver had tried to goad him and he denied that he was close behind the other car. “He described the other driver as driving like a k**bhead,” said Miss Rapin.
The moped rider was wearing a hi-viz jacket and a crash helmet. He suffered several broken ribs and pelvic injuries and he was in hospital for 16 days.
The rider said that he had lost his moped due to the damage and was not able to work full-time for a year. He had gone into arrears with his rent and he was unable to pursue his hobby of hiking in Scotland.
In a victim impact statement, he said the injuries would have “a long lasting effect, physically, mentally and financially.”
Hannah Turner, mitigating, said that Biglin had sent a letter to the judge showing significant remorse for his actions. He had lost his employment, which led to a breakdown of his relationship and he had returned to live with a parent.
Amber Hobson, representing Cayton Daniel, said there were references for him. He was “incredibly sorry and apologised as much as he can.”
Judge Thackray said: “Holderness Road is a residential area. There are takeaways, homes and pubs and bars. You were both racing each other.
“The CCTV is shocking and horrifying. You were treating the road as a racetrack. There was a one-metre gap between the two vehicles.
“You were grossly in excess of the speed limit.” The consequences were “grave and had a long term effect on his mobility”.
Biglin was jailed for two years and four months and he was banned from driving for three years. Cayton Daniel was jailed for two years and he was banned from driving for two years and 10 months.
They had both been on bail. Both must pass an extended retest before they can drive legally again.