Banned driver knocked over cyclist in his dad's car

Michael Shaw hit the cyclist in a Ford Mondeo, on Nottingham Road, in Mansfield, on 5.45am, on January 14, leaving the man with bruises and grazes.

The court heard he was banned for 12 months on December 4, 2017, for dangerous driving.

“The cyclist was able to get up and dust himself off,” said prosecutor Robert Carr. “Mr Shaw asked him if he was all right but then drove off.”

The cyclist passed the registration number to police, who traced the vehicle to his father’s address on Hall Street. Shaw was asked to come home, and he apologised by text.

“He told police he took the car because he was concerned about his girlfriend and wanted to sort something out with her,” said Mr Carr.

“He drove to Alfreton at 4am and drove around for 30 minutes, then drove home. He was trying to talk to her on the loudspeaker at the time of the collision.

“He said he saw the cyclist too late, tried to brake and slid into him.

“Mr Shaw accepted that he had stopped to say sorry and then drove off. He put the keys back where he found them and went to bed so his dad was none the wiser.”

Probation officer Sarah Alderton said Shaw completed 59 hours of unpaid work, with 21 left, as part of a community order imposed six weeks before the new incident, but had failed to turn up to two appointments.

He received a final warning, and two letters were sent to his father’s address, she added, but it was revealed in court that he had since moved to his mother’s address on Maltby Road, without informing the probation service.

Stacie Mightie, mitigating, said: “He was concerned for his girlfriend’s welfare and that’s why he went out in the early hours.

“In his words he panicked and that is why he drove off from the scene.”

She said Shaw denied speaking to his girlfriend at the time of the accident.

“As a result of the incident he was asked to leave the address on Hall Street,” Ms Mightie said.

“His relationship with his father is strained. He hopes that he will be able to make amends in due course.”

She said Shaw returned to his father’s address after he lost his job following the driving ban.

He failed to make the probation appointments because of bad weather, believing that probation officers would be unable to attend.

“He accepts full responsibility for not getting in touch with them,” Ms Mightie added. “It seems that he hasn’t understood what they entails.”

Shaw, 24, admitted aggravated vehicle taking causing injury, failing to stop after an accident and driving while disqualified, when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Friday.

He was sentenced to a total of 19 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, and must carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.

He was banned for 18 months, and must pass an extended driving test before he gets behind the wheel of a car again.