FIT AND PROPER
SUSPENDED SENTENCE FOR BISHOP AUCKLAND CABBIE’S CRASH WHICH INJURED THREE PEOPLE
A cabbie who caused a head-on collision when he turned round to speak to his passenger left three people injured. Peter MacGrathin was taking a client to hospital when he caused the crash in Darlington, earlier this year. The 41-year-old’s lapse of concen- tration resulted in his Skoda Octavia smashing into a car travelling in the opposite direction. Teesside Crown Court heard how the passenger in the other car involved suffered broken ribs, sternum, left arm, left shoulder and fracture to her spine. Philip Morley, prosecuting, said earlier in the journey MacGrathin had clipped two kerbs. He said: “He went along Burtree Lane at 57mph, which is under the speed
limit, there was a bend in the road and he started to drift across the road. He turned to speak to his passenger while there was another vehicle coming in the opposite direction and a head-on collision was caused.” Mr Morley told the court that the cabbie’s passenger suffered fractures to her ribs and sternum while the driver of the other car suffered bruising. MacGrathin, from Bishop Auckland pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention and causing injury through careless driving. The defendant represented himself in court telling the judge that he was unable to afford a lawyer after losing his job following
the crash on January 6. Judge Paul Watson KC gave the defendant the opportunity to delay sentencing until he could find a lawyer but MacGrathin declined. The judge said: “Your pre-sentence report shows that you had taken full responsibility for what happened and you showed genuine remorse. You really couldn’t explain the driving which led to this accident but you had a lot on your mind at the time.” MacGrathin was sentenced to 21 weeks in custody suspended for 12 months, ordered to attend 20 rehabilitation activity days and carry our 150 hours of unpaid work. He was also banned from driving for 12 months and he told to take an extended test to regain his licence.
PHTM DECEMBER 2023
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