A “violent driver” who deliberately rammed a cyclist into a parked HGV — leaving his victim with spinal fractures that reduced him to “a hollow shell of a person, barely able to get out of bed” — has avoided jail.

Adam Ruszkowski was handed a two-year suspended sentence suspended for two years by a judge at London Crown Court, and will have to pay Thomas Purchase £3,000 in compensation, having pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving in relation to what the judge described as a “moment of madness”.

The Daily Mail reported details of the case from court, Ruszkowski also required to complete 40 days of rehabilitation activity and 200 hours of unpaid work, the 37-year-old single father to twin boys banned from driving for two years.

“One inconsiderate, violent driver who wanted to show who was boss”

The court heard that at around 11.30am on 29 August 2023, Mr Purchase was riding his bike along Lambeth Walk in Kennington when he passed Ruszkowski’s vehicle.

“You thought he had broken your wing mirror, which it appears caused you to lose your temper and to do what you did next,” judge Darren Reed summarised.

The enraged driver accelerated and followed Mr Purchase, driving in “close proximity” and “coming alongside him”. Judge Reed said the cyclist had been “sandwiched between the two vehicles and was not on his bike”.

Eyewitness reports were clear that Ruszkowski had “deliberately swerved” into the cyclist, ramming him into a parked HGV and causing spinal fractures.

> Cyclist slams “disgraceful” 12-month driving ban and £540 fine for drink driver who “ruined” his life

“Unsurprisingly your actions had a substantial impact on Mr Purchase,” the judge continued. “His partner had to care for him. He suffered spinal fractures. This was a moment of madness. Mr Purchase could have been killed by your actions, which, I’m sure, is something you have reflected on.”

Prosecutor George Jackson explained how the victim was taken to St Thomas’ Hospital and has not been able to cycle again since due to “ongoing pain and discomfort”.

In his victim impact statement Mr Purchase explained how he “became a hollow shell of a person, barely able to get out of bed” following the incident.

“The impact was so violent and so forceful that I was unable to move my legs. My arms were reduced to uncoordinated wet noodles,” he recalled. “I will be forever grateful to the kind members of the public who came to my aid that day, called the emergency services and bought me ice packs for the pain.

> Hit-and run driver who killed London cyclist jailed for 11 years

“During the whole ordeal the individual who had run me down was nowhere to be seen. I became a hollow shell of a person, barely able to get out of bed.”

Ruszkowski’s legal representation Oliver Snodin suggested his client had “expressed empathy and remorse towards the complainant”.

“This was a moment of madness that was a reaction to the complainant’s actions,” he said. “He is self-employed as a plumber. He has had to adapt to not being able to drive any more. It is frankly something he has had to get used to. He takes jobs in the local area. He doesn’t have the means to carry around large tools.”