Wrong side of road driver banned

A motorcyclist from Stafford has been banned from driving after overtaking on the wrong side of the road and smashing head-on into a van.

Peter Corbett, aged 48, of Oldfields Crescent, pleaded guilty to one charge of dangerous driving at Stafford Crown Court.

He was sentenced to do 150 hours unpaid community work, banned from driving for 15 months and told to pay £722 costs.

The court heard how Corbett lost control of his machine on bends on the A519 close to the village of Woodseaves, near Stafford on September 25 last year.

Mr Nick Burn, prosecuting, told of how Corbett had crossed the double white lines and narrowly missed an oncoming estate car, but then hit the van where he was "catapulted" down the road while his machine burst into flames. No-one else was hurt in the accident.

Mr Harpreet Sandhu, defending, believed it was an example of misjudgement.

Judge John Maxwell had read a number of character references on behalf of Corbett, including one from Stafford Borough Town Twinning Association.

He said: "Happily, the other drivers were not injured, unhappily you were seriously injured."