A career criminal who sped away from police before hitting a motorcyclist has been jailed.
Jason Collins, aged 46, pulled out of a junction without looking and crashed into the motorcyclist, sending him hurtling into the air.
Collins then sped away, leaving the victim for dead.
The collision and subsequent police pursuit happened in Sutton-in-Ashfield during the early hours of 6 October 2021.
Nottingham Crown Court heard Collins – who has 150 previous convictions for multiple crimes relating to drugs, violence and motoring offences – was being pursued by a police car after officers spotted him acting suspiciously whilst parked up moments earlier.
He turned right out of Mason Street and onto Unwin Road without looking or stopping – causing a head on collision with the motorcyclist that was out of sight of the officers, who were some distance behind due to the speed Collins was travelling at.
The impact caused extensive damage to Collins’ vehicle, including a smashed windscreen, with his victim sustaining multiple bone fractures.
But rather than stop, Collins revved his engine and sped off.
Unaware of the collision, the officers caught up with Collins and pursued him until he abandoned his Vauxhall Vectra a short time later and ran into an address.
Officers chased after him and arrested him inside the property.
Meanwhile, the injured motorcyclist was taken to hospital and treated for multiple injuries, including a broken back.
The court heard the victim – aged 19 at the time of the collision – suffered “long lasting” injuries and has experienced flashbacks.
During his police interview, Collins, of Stanton Hill, Sutton-in-Ashfield, tried to convince officers that someone else had been driving and that he was in the passenger seat.
But his lies were disproven and he went on to plead guilty to dangerous driving causing serious injury.
He was handed a three-year sentence after appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday (21 March 2023). A judge told him he will serve half of the sentence in prison and the rest in the community on licence.
He was also disqualified from driving for three years – taking effect in a year’s time to reflect the time he will spend in custody.
Following the sentencing, PC Lyndon Brown, who investigated the case, said: “Collins showed a staggering disregard not only for the police officers who pursued him, but also for the safety of other road users.
“His driving was of such a poor and reckless standard that he hit a young motorcyclist, who could easily have been killed.
“Thankfully, the motorcyclist survived but the effects of the collision on his physical and mental wellbeing were significant. As the judge alluded to during sentencing, the victim’s fractures may heal in time but the psychological damage will be long lasting.
“Nottinghamshire Police will never tolerate people who drive in this way. On this occasion Collins thought he could get away with what he did but he didn’t count on the determination of the officers who caught up with him and arrested him.
“This isn’t the first time Collins has appeared before the courts and I hope he uses his time in prison to reflect on his behaviour and change the direction of his life.”
