Dudley driver, 25, fled scene after hitting motorbike
A driver from Dudley who knocked a motorcyclist off his bike before fleeing the scene and crashing his car through a fence has been handed a suspended prison sentence and driving ban.
Yaser Karim appeared to be racing with another vehicle while travelling south along the A442 Queensway in June last year, Telford Magistrates Court was told.
The court heard that after cutting across the path of a Land Rover Karim collided with a motorbike, sending the rider tumbling from his bike and knocking him unconscious.
Mr Chris Coughlan, prosecuting, said it happened after the vehicle Karim was suspected to be racing decided to take the slip road towards Brockton Way, near the Brookside area of Telford.
The court heard that Karim attempted to follow the vehicle onto the slip road.
Mr Coughlan said Karim was in the second lane of the dual carriageway and decided to cut across the path of a Land Rover which was travelling in the left-hand lane.
His Renault Clio collided with the rear of a motorbike on the slip road, knocking the rider off his bike.
Mr Coughlan said the motorcyclist was knocked unconscious but 25-year-old Karim accelerated away in the direction of Sutton Maddock, leaving the rider lying in the road.
Mr Coughlan said: “This is a truly shocking piece of driving. “The defendant was driving a Renault Clio along the A442 Queensway. He appeared to be racing with another vehicle.”
He said Karim then lost control of his vehicle and crashed through a fence further down the road.
Karim, of Bunns Lane, Dudley, initially denied driving a vehicle without due care and attention on June 27 last year but pleaded guilty on the day of his trial.
The father-of-three also admitted an offence of failing to stop.
Mr Gerry Vahey, representing Karim, told the court: “Immediately after the accident he did temporarily go off in panic but came to an abrupt halt because there was a collision.”
He said he Karim, who denied racing any other vehicle had cooperated with the police.
He added: “My client was not racing that silver Peugeot. That seems to be a coincidence it was proceeding at speed.”
Mr Vahey said as far as the failing to stop charge was concerned he had pleaded guilty straight away.
He said: “Whilst at the scene he did fail to stop, he was at the police station within an hour of the incident cooperating with police.”
The court heard Karim passed his driving test in September 2015 and had no previous convictions.
Magistrates handed Karim a 23-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. He was ordered to do 120 hours unpaid work and was disqualified from driving for 12 months. Karim will also have to pay £200 costs and £115 victim surcharge.
