A speeding driver sobbed in court as he was jailed for causing a head-on crash which injured five others and left him in a coma. Jay Patel lost control of his Vauxhall Corsa on Winson Green Road in the early hours of November 13, 2021, and ploughed into
a Seat Ibiza travelling in the opposite direction.
Both vehicles were destroyed in the smash, near HMP Birmingham jail. Three of the casualties sustained 'serious' injuries, particularly Gerome Burton who was behind the wheel of the Ibiza.
The impact on the dad, a security guard at Turtle Bay, was said to be 'life-changing'. Patel's brother Reece, who was a rear seat passenger, sustained a broken leg among other injures while front passenger Rajbir Dubb suffered a broken neck.
A police investigation found Patel's Corsa had mismatched tyres, one of which had no tread in the middle, and that he was driving at excessive speed although it could not be calculated how fast he was going. An open bottle of Hennessey cognac was found
in the footwell along with a cannabis grinder, although medics refused for him to be tested due to the amount of blood he had lost. Therefore, it was concluded he was not intoxicated.
The 26-year-old, of Alfred Road, Handsworth, admitted three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. At Birmingham Crown Court, he was sentenced to 29 months and banned from driving for five years and 70 days.
Patel appeared visibly shaken and broke down in tears throughout the hearing, particularly when the injuries to his brother were detailed. The collision happened at 4.20am. Pictures at the time showed the Vauxhall and Seat reduced to crumpled heaps with
debris showering the street. Both vehicles were confirmed to be write-offs.
Prosecutor Andrew Baker said a full collision report could not be carried out because a fatal crash happened at a similar time. He said: "An examination of the Corsa established the tyres were mis-matched and the front offside tyre was devoid of tread at
the centre. It is likely to be one factor that led to the loss of control of the vehicle taking a bend at excessive speed."
Mr Burton had been driving home with a passenger having finished a security shift at Turtle Bay in the city centre. He sustained a broken right hip socket which required plates and pins, a chest injury, as well as injuries to his spine, ankle and hand.
In a statement the father said he had been left in 'daily pain' and could no longer do things like 'have a kick about with my teenage sons'. Mentally, he said it was a 'struggle' to get out of bed in the mornings and he felt a burden to others.
"I feel I will never be the same person again," added Mr Burton. The other two seriously injured victims, from Patel's car, did not provide impact statements or allow access to their medical records. None of those involved could recall the collision in
any detail, the court was told.
Joseph Keating, defending, said the incident was a 'one-off' for Patel. He said: "He has put his own words down on paper. It gives a heartfelt appraisal of what happened and expresses heartfelt sentiments of remorse.
"He is someone with no pro-criminal attitude. He is known as hardworking and until this moment in time had made a positive contribution to society."
The barrister said Patel was still rehabilitating from his own physical injuries while the incident had also left him with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Judge Jonathan Salmon confirmed he would not have suspended the sentence if it was low
enough - two years or less - due to the severity of the offences.
He said: "It is clear from the investigation of this accident that you were driving that motor vehicle too fast. While it is not possible to prove an accurate estimate of the speed, it was significantly illustrated by the damage to the two motor vehicles
which were written off."
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/weeping-driver-jailed-causing-head-26944073
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