Interesting case in Swindon

[cotswolds]

http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Dean-Goble-court-deliberately-driving-cyclists/story-28600022-detail/story.html

The allegation is that the driver deliberately aimed his car at a cyclist travelling in the opposite direction to scare them/force them off the road. Three separate incidents (different locations/cyclists) over 10 days.

The thing that surprises me most about this is that the charge is the rather serious one of dangerous driving, which I believe is considered difficult to prove, so well done to the authorities for pursing this.

I also wonder how many other cyclists this happened to who didn't think it was worth reporting. It does suggest it's worth reporting incidents in case police can connect them into a pattern.

[NUKe]

http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Dean ... story.html
looks like he got 2 years

[Vantage]

2 1/2 years prison, a paltry fine, 2 year driving ban and an extended driving test according to the follow up story. Cleared of the third charge.

http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Dean ... story.html

Still seems a bit light.

NUKe got there first.

[Bicycler]

The thing that surprises me most about this is that the charge is the rather serious one of dangerous driving, which I believe is considered difficult to prove, so well done to the authorities for pursing this.

It's often arguable in the case of negligent driving, it is a matter of degree as to whether something falls 'below' or 'well below' the accepted standard. Where driving is deliberately aggressive, the CPS guidelines suggest that that is to be prosecuted as dangerous driving rather than merely without due care.

[Rob Archer]

So, does his driving ban start immediately, or when he comes out of prison, or at the end of the full sentence? If it's the first option a ban is rather pointless as, if he serves the typical half his sentence it's only a 5-moth ban!

[cotswolds]

BBC have the actual video which I haven't seen before. Makes it look pretty clear there was deliberate aggression.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-35422418

[horizon]

It does suggest it's worth reporting incidents in case police can connect them into a pattern.

+1

It also suggests that it's worth having a camera - it seemed crucial in this case.
It also suggest it's worth banning people for much longer in cases of dangerous driving.
It also suggests that it's worth making the holding of a driving licence dependent on the lack of other previous offences* (such as drugs).

I think what is really appalling is that this man was given his licence back after his first dangerous driving conviction and will get it back again. Either the judges believe that losing your licence isn't particularly important or it's a draconian punishment - I'm not sure which. Personally I would have much preferred that he had lost his licence for life than he had been sent to prison.


* The court heard that Goble has 20 previous convictions dating back to his teens for handling stolen goods, burglary, violent disorder, criminal damage, affray, dangerous driving and supplying Class A drugs. And you give him a driving licence? Why not a firearms licence at the same time?

[661-Pete]

I actually had someone do this to me, several years ago. I had no camera at that time, and I didn't get sight of the number plate - nor were there any potential witnesses - so all I felt I could do was let the matter drop . Perhaps - now seeing the report on this nasty incident and its outcome - I ought to have reported it.

Anyway I'm glad that (a) there were no injuries, and (b) in this instance, the maniac at the wheel got his comeuppance. Hope he enjoys his sojourn in the slammer....

[661-Pete]

So, does his driving ban start immediately, or when he comes out of prison, or at the end of the full sentence? If it's the first option a ban is rather pointless as, if he serves the typical half his sentence it's only a 5-moth ban!

I would hope that this is not the case, and that the driving ban is intended to start consecutively from date of release from prison. See this report on an unrelated case, which appears to make the principle clear, and presumably follows a precedent:

Witney, 21, of Finches Lane, Lindfield, was jailed for six years on Friday and banned from driving for seven years from the date of his release after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving in November.