A speeding driver who left two people with serious injuries claimed in a police interview that he had been driving at a safe and sensible speed before a serious collision near Mansfield.
In reality, Gilbert Fillingham had been driving at more than twice the speed limit when he ploughed into the side of a car making a right turn across his path.
Such was the force of the collision that two of the three passengers in the second vehicle sustained multiple broken bones.
Both required surgery, and one had to undergo multiple operations to repair serious internal injuries and spent several weeks in intensive care.
The collision occurred near Rainworth on the evening of 26 June 2024, as Fillingham was driving his Honda Accord along Southwell Road East towards Mansfield.
Fillingham, aged 24, claimed to have been travelling at between 30 and 35 mph when he spotted a car turning across his path towards Blidworth and was unable to avoid a collision.
However, investigators from Nottinghamshire Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit and Forensic Collision Investigation Unit were able to comprehensively disprove his account regarding his speed.
Picture: The junction where the collision took place
Using a combination of available CCTV footage and a multi-vehicle reconstruction, they discovered he had been travelling at between 60 and 65 mph immediately before the collision.
A key witness also recalled how Fillingham tailgated her in the moments before the crash, then overtook her and sped up the road.
When confronted with this evidence in a second interview, Fillingham gave “no comment” responses.
He later pleaded guilty to two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday 21 October, Fillingham, of Montague Street, Mansfield, was jailed for two and a half years and banned from driving for five years and three months.
To drive legally again, he will have to complete an extended re-test.
The court heard how Fillingham had later sought treatment for addiction issues and had been diagnosed with autism and ADHD after the incident.
His Honour Judge Egbuna accepted that Fillingham was remorseful for his actions but explained that the offence was so serious that only a custodial sentence was appropriate.
Case Investigator Louise Melbourne, of Nottinghamshire Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said:
“Clearly this young man had no intention of hurting anyone when he got behind the wheel that day, but sadly that is exactly what happened after he made the conscious decision to drive through a residential area at around twice the speed limit.
“It isn’t unusual for drivers in Fillingham’s position to attempt to mislead us about the speed they were going, but thanks to a very thorough investigation we were able to comprehensively disprove his initial account.
“It really is no exaggeration to say that he could easily have killed someone that day, so I hope this case serves as a reminder to others about the potential consequences of this kind of reckless and dangerous driving.
“All occupants of the other car involved in this collision have been severely impacted both physically and emotionally, and I would like to thank them today for their patience and cooperation over the last year and more.
“I would also like to thank all the emergency services who attended, and the members of the public who assisted in the aftermath of this incident and with the investigations that followed.”