A 24-year-old man who suffered catastrophic injuries after crashing an off-road bike just minutes after purchasing it has been sentenced for dangerous driving.
Lewis Stobbs, of Station Road, Billingham, appeared at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Thursday following the high-speed collision on Marsh House Avenue on April 11. The court heard that Stobbs had bought the bike shortly before deciding to perform a “wheelie” on the public road, a decision described in court as “stupid” and “highly dangerous.”
Prosecutor Jake Bowman told the court that Cleveland Police were called to the scene at approximately 7:30 p.m. after reports of a crash. Witnesses described seeing Stobbs speeding on the bike before he lost control and collided with a grey Peugeot. The force of the impact was significant; the car’s airbags were deployed, and emergency services had to remove the vehicle’s door to safely extract the driver, who sustained whiplash.
Stobbs was thrown from the bike, sustaining multiple severe injuries, including two broken tibias, a broken kneecap, a collapsed lung, and a cracked head. Beyond the physical toll, the court heard that the bike lacked legal insurance and both tyres were found to be below the legal tread depth.
The case took a poignant turn as the defence revealed that Stobbs suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stemming from a previous incident where he was involved in a collision caused by someone driving on the wrong side of the road—an accident that resulted in the death of a friend.
Judge Hamilton noted the irony, calling it “unbelievable” that Stobbs had chosen to operate a vehicle in a reckless manner identical to the incident that caused his own trauma. Defence solicitor Syed Ahmed noted that Stobbs, who arrived at court using a crutch, is still undergoing medical assessments to determine if the injuries from the April crash will have lasting effects.
“He knows how stupid he has been,” Mr. Ahmed stated, adding that his client had purchased the bike moments before the crash and was attempting to move it when the collision occurred.
Stobbs, who has been prosecuted for no-insurance offences on two previous occasions, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance. Judge Hamilton handed him a 12-month community order, suspended for 18 months, which includes a probation requirement. Additionally, Stobbs was banned from the roads for two years and ordered to pay £272 in costs.
While the defendant continues his recovery, the incident serves as a stark warning regarding the dangers of off-road vehicle misuse on public highways. The driver of the Peugeot involved in the crash was treated for his injuries at James Cook University Hospital and later discharged.
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