A hit-and-run driver who ploughed into a jogger and left her for dead in the road has been jailed – after being shopped by his mum.
Nicholas Smith, 22, had just finished a night shift and downed a pint of beer with his breakfast before getting behind the wheel to drive home.
But he inexplicably lost control of his car and struck runner Mushina Sarwar as she jogged along a road in Frampton Cotterell, south Glos.
Instead of reporting the incident he left the scene and went home, telling his mother someone had hit his car.
But she heard about the hit-and-run and realised her son was to blame – and frogmarched him back to the scene to confess.
Smith, 22, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of a collision at Bristol Crown Court.
Jailing him for eight months, Judge Carol Hagen praised his mother’s conduct as “very responsible”.
The collision happened after Smith had finished a night shift in April and stopped off at a pub for breakfast, where he downed a pint of beer.
But he was not drunk or speeding when his vehicle struck Miss Sarwar, who was thrown into the air and landed on his windscreen.
Another driver had to mount the kerb to avoid Smith’s vehicle before the crash near Smith’s home in Coalpit Heath, south Glos.
Miss Sarwar suffered a broken femur which needed a metal rod to be inserted, a cartilage tear to her left knee, multiple bruises and had to have stitches to her nose and jaw.
She was in hospital for nine days and suffered serious long-term injuries as a result of the collision, the court heard.
Jason Taylor, prosecuting, said Smith’s mother – who he still lves with – soon realised her son was to blame.
He said: “When Mrs Smith got home two hours later she saw the damage. She heard there had been an accident and she put two and two together.
“She went to the scene and she explained to the officers what she was aware of.”
Smith, who had passed his driving test just seven weeks before the accident, told police he could not remember the incident.
In a victim impact statement, Miss Sarwar said she could not walk or sleep, had lost her job and faced a long battle to regain her former life.
Tabitha Macfarlane, defending, said her client came from a good family and was of previous good character who had always worked.
“He is incredibly remorseful. He comes from a very close family and his mother surrendered herself and her son at the scene.”
A message to the court from Smith’s family said: “We sincerely apologise as a family to the young lady. We hope, in time, she’ll get back to the life that she used to lead.”
Sentencing, Judge Carol Hagen said the cause of the accident remains a “total mystery”.
She added: “Serious injury was caused. How is a total mystery.
“That young woman received long-standing and serious injuries and it is clear that she has suffered both physically and psychologically.
“It is an injury which is on-going and one hopes she will recover.”
Smith was also banned from driving for two years and told he must pass an extended driving test before returning to the road.
As he was led down to the cells a supporter in the public gallery screamed: “It was an accident, for Christ’s sake!”
