The collision caused £1,600 worth of damage to the truck and led to Harry Peter Robinson appearing in the Magistrate’s Court on charges of dangerous driving, failing to stop and report an accident and driving without insurance.
Robinson (25), who is also known as Mal’akhi Elijah Mac Roibin, of Les Cinq Chênes, St Saviour, was sentenced to 130 hours of community service, ordered to complete a 12-month probation order and was banned from driving for 18 months.
He was also ordered to pay building firm Hacquoil & Cook £250 compensation for the damage to the truck.
Centenier John Camara said that about 12.40 pm on 28 March, Robinson was driving his Subaru Trouper behind a white pick-up truck. It was travelling at about 25 mph to 30 mph in a 40 mph zone and Robinson sounded his horn to get the driver to speed up.
After again sounding the horn, he went to overtake and, ‘for a long period’, the two vehicles were adjacent to each other, said Centenier Camara.
The court heard that a car was coming in the other direction and in order to avoid a collision, the truck braked to allow Robinson to pull in. But in doing so Robinson ‘sideswiped the van’, taking off the wing mirror.
The Centenier said Robinson admitted not being insured and that he knew that crossing the white lines on the road was an offence. Robinson claimed that the other driver was being aggressive and he did not stop after the collision, as he was fearful of the man’s reaction.
Advocate Luke Sette, defending, said that his client had bought the vehicle two days earlier and he believed his mother was sorting out his insurance. ‘He made an impulsive decision to overtake the vehicle and once he was committed, he felt he had to complete the manoeuvre,’ said the lawyer.
He submitted that the defendant was making positive changes to his life and said that the court should avoid a custodial sentence.
In issuing the court’s sentence, the Magistrate, Bridget Shaw, said it was fortunate that no one was hurt. ‘This sentence really is a direct alternative to prison, so make sure that you comply with the requirement of the community service,’ she said.
