Driver who seriously injured passengers in horror Peterborough crash jailed

Leon Wells (25) was behind the wheel of a blue Peugeot when he sped across the roundabout at the junction of the A47 and Topmoor Way in Paston on May 3.

He continued across Topmoor Way on the wrong side of the road before colliding with a BMW.

Two women who were in Wells' Peugeot were seriously hurt - one suffering spinal injuries and a dislocated hip, while another fractured her pelvis.

Wells - who himself suffered nine broken ribs, a broken arm and a punctured lung in the crash - appeared at Peterborough Crown Court yesterday (Monday), where he was jailed for a total of four years eight months.

The court was told that along with the crash in May, Wells - a father of two - had been involved in two police chases - one in Hampton in October and one in St Neots in November.

He also admitted stealing a Rolex Watch worth £5,000 while he was working for a removals firm.

Bennedict Peers, prosecuting told the court a witness had seen Wells driving towards the roundabout at Paston, describing him as being 'in a hurry.'

He said another car already on the roundabout had to take evasive action before the 'substantial impact' on Topmoor Way.

The driver of the BMW saw the Peugeot coming towards him, and with no time to avoid the crash, braced for impact, covering his face with his arms.

He suffered ligament damage to his wrists.

The road was closed overnight while emergency services worked at the scene, eventually opening at 8.15am - 12 hours after the crash happened.

Mr Peers said the first car chase happened on October 29, when officers - who making inquiries into Wells' then partner - saw a green VW Golf driven by Wells.

The officers - in a marked police car - tried to stop the car, but it made off at speed.

Mr Peers said: "It drove straight onto a roundabout - at which point the chase was taken over by a second pair of officers/"The car was again located on Freshwater Road in Hampton.

"The Golf mounted a kerb, and knocked the wing mirror off a parked car.

"Two members of the public were near-by, and one waved his arms at Wells - Wells stopped and gave abuse to them before driving off.

"The car was found abandoned later."

In the second chase, Wells was seen driving through St Neots at speed - hitting 60mph in a 30mph zone, 'getting airborne' off speed bumps and running red lights.

He was eventually arrested.

The court was told he had stolen the Rolex watch after it fell out of a removals box while it was at work, He had swapped it for a car he wanted to live in.

Mr Peers said Wells had committed 50 offences in the past, with many for theft and for driving matters.

Defending, Steven Kennedy told the court Wells had pleaded guilty to all the offences, and was keen for a chance to turn his life around.

Mr Kennedy read a letter from Wells to the court, in which he said Wells showed remorse. In the letter he said: "I am sorry for everything. I hope in the future people will be able to forgive me."I have two children myself and if this happened to them, I would be devastated."

However, Judge Sean Enright said he did not believe the remorse was genuine.

Wells, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing serious injury while disqualified, driving while disqualified , careless driving and driving with no insurance in connection with the May matters.

He was given a 30 month sentence for each of the counts of causing serious injury, to be served concurrently, with no separate penalty for the other offences.

In relation to the October car chase, he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving while disqualified, and was jailed for 12 months, to be served consecutively to all other offences.

For the November police pursuit, he was jailed for 14 months after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and driving while disqualified. The sentence will be served consecutively.

Wells was also disqualified from driving for seven years.

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