A young motorist’s, “momentary lapse of concentration” led to a head-on collision which left three people, including himself, badly injured.

Thomas Pearson, who was only 19 at the time, was driving his Toyota Yaris on the wrong side of Wingate Road, near Trimdon, in darkness when the accident took place shortly after 8pm on December 12, 2021.

Durham Crown Court heard that a couple travelling in the opposite direction were unable to avoid a collision.

Another motorist who was heading in the same direction as the defendant described him driving at speed and said she could see no reason why he was on the wrong side of the road.

(Image: Durham Constabulary) Reece Williams, prosecuting, said the speed limit on the road is 60-miles per hour and although dark, on a stretch with no street lighting, there were clear conditions.

The couple in the other car were said to be familiar with the road as they do not live far away.

Both victims in the other car suffered a displaced or fractured sternum and one also suffered renal injuries, while the other had knock-on knee problems.

Mr Williams said given the passage of time, both have almost recovered from their injuries, but it did affect their movements in the months after the collision, and the “mental scars” are said to remain.

The defendant was not interviewed until May 2022 and he told police the first he could remember of the incident was being pulled from his vehicle.

Now aged 22, Pearson, of St Aidan’s Terrace, Wingate, admitted two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving.

Calum McNicholas, representing Pearson, said it was a fairly “unique” set of circumstances, but his submission was that, “it was a momentary lapse of concentration” on the defendant’s behalf.

Mr McNicholas said the independent witness who referred to the defendant travelling, “at speed” was herself going a lot less than the 60-mph-limit, so it may have been that the defendant was not actually exceeding that, but just going quicker than her.

“He appeared before magistrates in this case more than two years ago, in June 2022, when he was aged 20.”

Mr McNicholas said the defendant was intending to plead guilty but the case was withdrawn and it was only resurrected in July this year when he was summonsed to attend the magistrates’ court.

It was only when the case came to the crown court for the first time in August that his plea to two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving was accepted by the prosecution.

Mr McNicholas said the defendant, who has no other convictions, has worked full-time for five years but has had this case hanging over him for the last three years.

“He sustained serious injuries, himself, breaking a vertebrae and not being able to walk for a while.

“He, effectively, had to learn to walk again, so, in many ways it’s been a unique case and a unique set of circumstances.”

(Image: The Northern Echo) Recorder Tom Moran said in those circumstances he was, “minded to follow”, the recommendation of the Probation Service pre-sentence report author and pass a community order.

“There has been an unusual history to this case.

“The prosecution was brought in 2022 when you offered to plead to the offences you have now pleaded to, and the prosecution was withdrawn at that stage due to problems with the state of the evidence.

"But, for reasons not explained, the case was resurrected.

“It’s very obvious that driving on the wrong side of the road on a 60-mph road in the dark would provide an ongoing risk to any oncoming traffic.

“You were driving at speed believed to have been excessive.

“A car coming in the opposite direction could not avoid a collision.

“You admitted it and when you were interviewed in May 2022 you said you could not remember it, but you expressed deep remorse in your pre-sentence report, which seems genuine.

“You are said to have a good work ethic, having been in the same job for five years and you are considered to posea low risk of re-offending.”

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But Recorder Moran said the defendant was driving at speed in the dark when it should have been, “particularly obvious there was a need to maintain concentration.”

Passing a 12-month community order, Recorder Moran ordered the defendant to perform 100-hours’ unpaid work.

He also imposed an 18-month driving ban with a £150 costs order to be paid within 28 days.