A man is behind bars after being sentenced for dangerous driving following a collision on the M25 near Egham in October 2018 (scroll down for video).
33-year-old Mihai Avram of High Street, Egham, was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment and disqualified from driving for three years and eight months after pleading guilty to one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Avram was driving a Ford Transit van between junctions 13 and 12 on the M25 around 1.25am on 1 October 2018 when he stopped on the motorway and proceeded to reverse in the opposite direction to oncoming traffic in lane one.
The video below shows the moment that Avram came to a stop, before reversing along lane number 1 towards oncoming traffic.
This resulted in a collision between Avram’s van and a minibus containing eight passengers returning from an overseas stag party.
One of the passengers suffered life-threatening injuries and has been left with a life-changing brain injury following the collision.
The seven other passengers and the minibus driver were also injured following the incident.
Avram pleaded guilty to one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving at Staines Magistrates’ Court on 12 February 2019 and was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on 3 May.
The driver of the minibus, 61-year-old Robin Burchell from Totton, Southampton, pleaded guilty by post to one charge of driving otherwise in accordance with a driving licence and was sentenced on 31 May at Guildford Magistrates Court.
He received three points on his licence and has been ordered to pay a £140 fine, as well as a victim surcharge of £30 and £85 in costs.
Sergeant Eddie Ryan of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit said:
“Avram’s driving could well have cost several people their lives.
“Indeed, a number of people sustained injuries through no fault of their own and one person has been left with a life-changing brain injury.
“Driving dangerously doesn’t just threaten the lives of those behind the wheel; it threatens the lives of passengers and innocent bystanders as well.
“We will always work to ensure that those who put the lives of others at risk will face the consequences of their actions.”
After reversing along lane 1, Avram can be seen to drive forwards after the impact, with heavy damage to the rear of his vehicle.
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