Motorist had moped embedded in car after serious A47 crash

John Jenkins, 63, had been driving a BMW car on the A47 at King's Lynn when he crashed into a scooter, knocking the rider off, but carried on with the moped "embedded" in the front of his car.

Norwich Crown Court heard Jenkins a former HGV driver with more than 40 years experience, had been driving without the glasses he needed at the time of the crash, at about 5am on April 4 2022.

Martin Ivory, prosecuting, said the victim was "thrown from the scooter" and hit his head on the road while Jenkins carried on driving with the scooter "embedded" in his car.

A lorry driver saw what he thought was a "rubbish bag at the side of the road" but after stopping found it was a "person lying by the side of the road".

The moped rider suffered skull fractures and brain haemorraghes as well as a collapsed lung and spent a total of nine weeks in hospital, five of which were in a coma.

Mr Ivory said the victim was "lucky to have survived" but would be affected by what happened to him "for a significant period of time, if not permanently".

Jenkins, of Brockley Green, Lynn, appeared at court on Tuesday (June 6) having admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He also admitted driving a motor vehicle on a road with eyesight which did not comply with requirements and failing to stop after an accident.

Judge Anthony Bate said it had been a "stupid decision" for Jenkins to have set off "without the glasses that you required in order to see the road ahead".

Jenkins was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months and ordered to adhere to a nine-month curfew between 8pm and 6am.

He was also disqualified from driving for two years.

Nicholas Bleaney, mitigating, said it was an "extremely sad case" in which the defendant had made a "catastrophic error of judgement".