Driver will face jail when caught

Polish national Arkadiusz Margol was convicted in his absence by a jury yesterday after a dangerous driving trial lasting two days at Teesside Crown Court.

Margol, of Market Place, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, went missing after he appeared in court last year to deny the charge relating to the February 27 crash.

He was said to have been racing another vehicle when he slammed head-on into a car from which the occupants had to be cut free and airlifted to hospital.

The accident happened at about midday on the A167 road between Darlington and Northallerton, when he ploughed head-on into a Volkswagen Passat.

The occupants of the wrecked car – Vivian and Tracy Atkinson, from the Darlington area – remarkably escaped with a broken ankle and broken wrist respectively.

Margol, 29, was in a Volvo and was attempting to overtake a BMW car on what the jury heard described as a “blind” corner near Great Smeaton, Northallerton.

During the manoeuvre, he clipped a van and trailer and also ploughed head-on into the Passat travelling in the opposite direction on the right side of the road.

Mr and Mrs Atkinson had to be cut to be cut free from the crumpled wreckage of their car by firefighters and were airlifted later to hospital, the court was told.

David Brooke, prosecuting, said the couple had seen the Volvo “coming towards them at very fast speed, wobbling out of control”, as it raced another vehicle.

A witness said he had been overtaken by the Volvo shortly before the crash, which braked sharply and “dived” into a gap between his Ford Focus and the van in front.

He was then overtaken by a BMW travelling very fast, which then pulled out and overtook the Volvo and van, before Margol tried to pass the van on the brow of a hill.

Judge George Moorhouse passed a sentence of 15 months for dangerous driving and five months for failing to attend court. Margol will be jailed when he is caught.