A DRUG driver who caused a collision that left a cyclist nearly paralysed has been given a ten-month suspended sentence, avoiding jail time.
Danial Arshad, 24, was under the influence of cannabis whilst at the wheel in Blackburn, Lancashire in August 2023 when he struck cyclist Nicholas Cooper head on.
CCTV footage shows Arshad becoming impatient with an unmoving vehicle at a set of traffic lights and swerving round them to speed through the junction.
However, Arshad failed to see Nicholas approaching from the other direction and smashes directly into the oncoming cyclist.
Cooper comes crashing to the ground behind Arshad’s vehicle and begins to twitch and struggle to move in the road as Arshad disappears from view.
Cooper, who was a professional cyclist, was left with serious injuries following the collision, including rib and spine fractures and a collapsed lung.
Cooper, who was later said to have been “fortunate not to have died”, faced a severe risk of paralysis throughout his time in hospital.
He said in a statement read out in court that he felt he “partially died in the incident” and is “mourning the loss of who I was before”.
Despite the brutal injuries Cooper suffered, Arshad avoided any jail time following his appearance at Preston Crown Court on Monday.
The drug driver plead guilty to causing a serious injury by careless driving and was subsequently sentenced to serve a 10-month suspended sentence.
In mitigation, Arshad’s lawyer said he showed remorse for the incident describing it as “the worst mistake of my life.”
During sentencing, Judge Richard Gioserano said: “Mr Cooper was very fortunate not to have died, and this was of course a very severe impact and all because you were impatient to get around a car that had stalled at the lights.
“Your view was restricted by the car that had stalled, and you were under the influence to some extent of cannabis.
“You are of previous good character, and you are genuinely remorseful, and you continue to demonstrate that.”
Arshad is to serve the 10-month sentence suspended for two years, with requirements including 15 days of rehabilitation activity requirements and 300 hours of unpaid work.
He will also be banned from driving for three years and will be required to complete his test again to gain his licence back.
A post about Arshad’s sentencing was shared to social media yesterday, gaining over 290 likes and more than 30 comments, with many in uproar over the punishment dished out.
One user said: Avoids prison? Seriously? Why? This is wrong.”
Another wrote: “The roads just are not safe to cycle.”
A third replied: “Well they were banned from driving for three years. That seems most important.”
Another commented: “Cyclist was speeding.”
A fifth added: “Both drivers look very negligent to me. Cyclist was scorching which is okay with me but possible a jury could find some comparative fault.”
