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Justice (Lonpicman, Wikimedia Commons)Kent motorist branded "a danger to cyclists" by judge is jailed for 10 months
A judge who sentenced a Kent motorist to ten months in jail has described him as “a danger to cyclists” following an incident last year in which he became so frustrated by a group riding two abreast that he knocked one off his bike, causing him and a fellow rider broken bones.
Martin Hook, aged 58 and from Marden where he runs a motorcycle business, had pleaded guilty to two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
He was also banned from driving for three years and will have to take an extended retest to get his licence back, reports the Kent & Sussex Courier.
One of the cyclists knocked over in the incident in September last year as they returned from a race, Lee Staples, broke his hand while the other, Darren Squirrel, a serving police officer, sustained a broken collarbone.
James Ross, speaking for the prosecution, told Maidstone Crown Court that Hook was driving to Tenderden with his two daughters when he encountered a group of cyclists on the road ahead.
“He was irate about them cycling two abreast, rather than single file,” he said.
As he passed them, he used his horn and drive his vehicle “a couple of inches away from one,” Mr Ross went on.
“The defendant got in front of them and was waving his arms in anger and shouting.
“He carried on until he came across the second group of cyclists.
“They included Darren Squirrel and Lee Staples. He drove close to Mr Staples and knocked his bike, causing him to crash into Mr Squirrel,” he added.
Speaking in mitigation on behalf of Hook, defence barrister Ian Henderson said he had been in business difficulties since the recession and that his client had been frustrated by what he believed was a lack of regard among cyclists for other road users.
“He was in a very stressful environment,” Mr Henderson said. “In that stressful environment he found himself in contact with the cyclists.
“He was frustrated by what he saw as cyclists not paying much regard to other road users. They were straddled along the road.
“He accepts he pointed and remonstrated with the first group. He didn’t intend any collision. He doesn’t recall there being contact. He accepts there must have been some.
“He is a hard working family man and these offences are utterly out of character,” Mr Henderson added.
Passing sentence on Hook, Judge Charles Macdonald QC said he was “satisfied the cyclists were deliberately endangered.”
He told him: “You are an honest, hard-working family man. There will be hardship as a result of the sentence for your family as a result of your driving.
“In my judgment, there is no true remorse here and no real insight. You are, and remain, a danger to cyclists.”
The Kent & Sussex Courier’s report of the case did not mention that riding two abreast is permitted under the Highway Code, something that was pointed out to the newspaper in the comments.
Rule 66 of the Highway Code says: “You should… never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends.”
The custodial sentence imposed on Hook contrasts with some that have been handed down recently in cases where motorists have been convicted of the more serious offence of causing death by dangerous driving, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years’ imprisonment compared to five years for the offence in this case.
Last month, lorry driver Paul O’Callaghan was given a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to causing the death by dangerous driving of cyclist Tarsem Dari in Southall, West London, in July 2013.
In July last year, David Cox, the lorry driver who pleaded guilty to causing the death by dangerous driving at Bow Roundabout of Brian Dorling as he rode to work also received a suspended sentence.
The issue of sentencing in cases where a vulnerable road user such as a cyclist or pedestrian is the victim is currently been reviewed by the government following pressure from organisations including British Cycling, CTC and RoadPeace.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
Latest Comments
- David9694 3 sec ago
Man charged after lorry crashes onto railway line...
- Quiddle 33 min 38 sec ago
The first part of this article scrapes the bottom of the barrel. Councillor Hunt makes a reasonable case with no evidence of any 'fuming'. Why go...
- lesterama 8 hours 56 min ago
They need to re-release a yellow turbo. That is their most iconic saddle of all time, as ridden by Fignon, Lemond, Hinault et al. on their...
- stonojnr 9 hours 2 min ago
it feels a conveniant donkey to put the tail on imo, and Im not saying some members didnt quit BC because of the Shell thing, but Im not entirely...
- Rendel Harris 9 hours 47 min ago
Did I mention that it costs £580?
- chrisonabike 10 hours 3 min ago
Don't worry! They've got plenty of others they can use!...
- Rendel Harris 10 hours 19 min ago
Well what is that way? Are you suggesting that every bend on every descent can be barriered over a 180km mountain stage?
- slappop 14 hours 33 min ago
Hopefully it'll still be allowed for recreational use.
- Bungle_52 15 hours 24 min ago
Well Gloucestershire are getting better. I'm being told whether or not action is to be taken, but not what action, within a few days of each report...
- DogOfOB 18 hours 6 min ago
I'm glad the barrier wasn't damaged. Whew, close one there! \s
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54 comments
[[[[[ Well, my giddy godfathers! Can you believe that? Er, yes.
P.R.
I'm not sure how I feel about the naming and shaming. The culprit may be a dolt, but he is being penalised accordingly.
Is he though?
To me, driving at someone on purpose is an act of attempted murder and should have been dealt with as such. 5 months inside and 3 year driving ban is a shambles to the justice system.
Except he's not, is he? The 3 year ban is ludicrous.
You may find that having numerous witnesses to the offence would have increased the chances of a conviction. Nowt to do with being a "plod" as you've blindly pointed out.
Never let the truth get in the way of a good story
No, it is everything to do with being one. I have seen this happen: multiple witnesses and the report to the police completely ignored. The police hate cyclists, and generally will not act on situations like this unless the victim is a cop, or dead. Or maybe a celebrity.
Don't be a plum. Yes I'm sure it helped with one of the victims being a police officer but to say that the police hate cyclists is just bollocks. Pull your head from your backside and have a think about what you say. ALL POLICE HATE CYCLISTS, really... Clearly not seen the PSUK team out training and ex national road race champion Matt Stephens was a bobby. I will give it to you that some police hate cyclists, as much as some hate football fans, forum idiots etc etc. Don't paint everybody with the same brush.
There was another case reported here recently where the cyclist victim was a police officer - quite a senior one. What struck me there was that _even_ when the victim is a cop the sentence can be quite light.
Frankly I think it wouldn't be surprising if criminal behaviour gets taken more seriously when the victim is a copper...but that's not, actually, something I'd get particularly annoyed about.
Compared to other problematic issues around policing that doesn't seem an especially heinous problem. If that was the only police-related problem this country had we'd be doing very well. And I guess there is always going to be an assumption, rightly or wrongly, that a police officer is a reliable witness.
Instead, I'm just pleased every time I hear that there are cops who cycle. (Its not as if there is a shortage of cops who are poor-to-mediocre drivers!).
But what _is_ depressing is that even in _those_ cases the perpetrators don't exactly get the book thrown at them. Car culture trumps everything, even police tribalism. No force can stand in its way!
Do you have any evidence of this, or is it just routine bad-mouthing of the police?
Plenty of bad police drivers out there but more skilled than unskilled. Most are ERV trained these days and if not ERV they will have had a 1 week GPD course. The worst ones are the ones who forget their training but still keep the speed.
And yes I do feel like I'm in a very good position to make comment
So the police hate cyclists? Even the coppers that are cyclists, like this one, or the lad killed in Portsmouth recently or Nick Gargan the police chief in Bristol who is an avid cyclist. What about the Metropolitan Police Cycling Club?
Surrey Police Cycling Club, or one of the other Police Cycling Clubs all over the country. All their members are copper and all those coppers are in a cycling club but they all aparrently (according to you) hate cyclists.
Somewhere in a pub right now is a bloke telling everyone that the police hate motorists cos they police them as well.
If you had said that police officers are a reflection of a society where most people drive but fewer ride bikes and that quite often cyclists needs and experiences aren't always fully understood or that motorists are sometimes given too much benefit of the doubt when in conflict with other road users by the public and / or the police I might find that a reasonable statement.
The copper that dealt with a case where I was run into the kerb by a van and assaulted was also a cyclist. The copper that is responsible for roads policing in Surrey where I live Deputy Chief Constable Nick Ephgrave is a former racing cyclist. Assistant Chief Officer Jane Harwood is a triathlete. so cyclist as well.
You may want in future to be less sweeping in your statements.
"You may want in future to be less sweeping in your statements."
OK, you are correct. I will re-word my statement:
"Almost every cop doesn't care if cyclists live or die. Obviously this doesn't apply to cops who are themselves cyclists".
Is that better?
Really?
Isn't it an appalling indictment of policing that the only cops you can think of who care whether cyclists live or die are themselves cyclists?
Isn't it still reprehensible that non-cycling cops are almost (not entirely, but almost) universally actively hostile to RTA victims on bicycles, or at best ambivalent? Shouldn't they be universally supportive of victims regardless of whether they dared to sling a leg over a bike or not?
[[[[[ What??? PLENTY to do with one of the victims being a cop. Check out the incident reported by "IanW 1968", above, and think again.
P.R.
One Mr Henderson has no shame whatsoever. I'm just as disgusted by people like him as I am by dangerous cretins like Mr Hook. What pathetic excuses for human beings, the both of them.
I agree, the fact that one of the victims was a plod suggests this case got some attention that any others in such circumstances would likely not have been afforded...
Well I know who will never be going to his shop .. and there is some alliance between motorbikes and bicycles so that news has been shared with several people who live in the same town as his business...
If he finds a road a 'very stressful environment', then he should be nowhere near a car or motorcycle.
no remorse. Banned for 3 years. FFS.
Psycho. This guy should hang.
Ps The fact that PC Secret Squirrel was one of the injured riders meant the plods (his mates) actually did something ……….. otherwise nothing would have been done. I bet about 25 police cars turned up, multiple ambulances and fire engines.
Fekkin twat of the lowest order.
Surely someone driving a motor vehicle into a person, be they pedestrian or cyclist, is attempted murder, given the massive difference between motor vehicle and squishy human? I know that isn't the law, but it bloody well ought to be.
The judge said that he was "an honest hard-working family man" but the defence barrister said that he didn't intend or remember contact..
That said, at least the judge didn't believe him.
Whether he's "an honest hard-working family man" matters not.
The fact is he put people's lives at risks because was in too much of a hurry. He has no excuse for his behaviour. And he should know better, being involved in motorbikes.
Darren Squirrel, a serving police officer.....I am saying NOTHING. Others will do that for me
As for his business hitting the skids, I hope he goes bust, he cannot ride a motorbike for 3 years after his 10 months (5 months really) inside.
I know its not the done thing in media to name and shame businesses, but I'm just a commenter. So Martin Hook of Break-Away Motorcycles also known as Tunbridge Wells Motorcycle Centre
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