Cheshire: Cyclist suffered life-changing injuries in crash

Craig Nightingale has been jailed after admitting causing serious injury by dangerous driving, drug driving under drugs and failing to appear in court after he ‘ploughed into a cyclist without making any attempt to break or stop’.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that the 43-year-old’s BMW struck the cyclist at speed on Winwick Road, Warrington, shortly before 6.30am on May 21 last year.

About 15 minutes beforehand, he had bought two bottles of cider from the McColl’s store on Lovely Lane.

Prosecuting, Phillip Astbury explained that staff were worried that he was intoxicated and he had collided with a wall.

One witness described him as ‘absolutely drunk and staggering’ before he reversed from the parking bay at speed.

Later on, Nightingale, of Wigan, was near the junction of Cromwell Avenue having an animated conversation with a female passenger.

Upon driving again, his car was travelling close to the curb so another car backed off.

The cyclist was in a ‘perfectly proper position’ and wearing hi-visibility clothing when the defendant collided with him at around 40mph.

After the crash, Nightingale pulled into a side road before saying the cyclist had swerved out in front of him while his speech was slurred, despite denying he was intoxicated.

He passed an alcohol test but not for drugs as cocaine, cannabis and Benzoylecgonine were found in his system.

The cyclist suffered multiple injuries including internal bleeding, a broken leg, a broken ankle, rib fractures, a collapsed lung and a fractured neck.

He also suffered a ‘significant traumatic brain injury’. The cyclist’s personality changed and it has impacted his mental health.

His ankle has since developed arthritis.

A statement from the victim was read out in court by his partner.

She said on his behalf: “I have lost so much time as I can’t remember the year of 2020.

“There is no question that the accident has changed me. My life has been turned upside down due to my accident.

“My life and my wife will never the be the same.”

The victim also said that what he says and how it comes across has altered. He also cannot climb anymore due to his injury – which was one of his passions.

He added how he forgives Nightingale.

The victim’s wife’s statement said how Nightingale has ruined their lives.

She said: “I can’t stress how much you have changed our lives and not for the better.

“I fell in love with his personality and you have robbed me of that.”

She added that she suffers from nightmares and wakes up in the night screaming while her husband is ‘by no means the same man’ that she married.

Nightingale has seven previous convictions for 25 offences.

Defence barrister Paul Beckett said that he concedes that an immediate sentence is inevitable.

He added that his client had missed a previous court date due to an error and apologised for the ‘terrible offence that he has committed’.

Mr Beckett said: “He is sorry for what he has done and would ask your honour to have regard for that.”

Sentencing, judge Anil Murray said: “You caused terrible injuries and suffering to the complainant and his family.

“He is still in excruciating pain.”

Judge Murray sentenced Nightingale to three years and nine months imprisonment, with an additional one month for not turning up to his initial sentencing date.

He was also disqualified for seven years and 11 months.

Police constable Gary Nicholls, who led the investigation, said: “This case demonstrates the life-long repercussions of driving under the influence of illegal drugs.

“On the morning of the collision Nightingale took the decision to drive, despite the fact that he was under the influence of cocaine.

“As a result of that decision, a totally innocent man sustained life-changing injuries and Nightingale is now behind bars.

“While the victim is slowly starting to recover from his physical injuries, this incident will impact him for the rest of his life.

“I hope that the conclusion of the case and the sentence handed to Nightingale will give him some closure and allow him to move forward with his life knowing justice has been served.”