Littlehampton "GBH" driver jailed for causing "horrific" crash

"JUSTICE has been done" '“ that is the verdict of one of the victims of a horror crash in Littlehampton after the dangerous driver who caused it was jailed for two-and-a-half years.
By The Newsroom
Published 11th Sep 2008, 12:40 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2018, 01:27 BST

Graham Hart, 24, of Beacon Way, Littlehampton, was sentenced at Chichester Crown Court, having pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, three charges of grievous bodily harm (GBH) and one charge of actual bodily harm (ABH).

Hart was driving a silver Citron Saxo on the morning of Saturday, February 9, when it hit a Triumph motorbike at the junction of Beach Road and Irvine Road, Littlehampton.

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Motorcyclist Fred Player was thrown into the air and his bike ploughed into three people on the pavement, Mark Phelps, from Worthing, Jack Cheesman, six, and his mother, Heidi Cheeseman, 37, from North Lancing.

Mark, 43, suffered multiple head injuries, which left him with bleeding on the brain, damaged vision and needing 30 stitches. His legs were both broken, leaving him in a wheelchair, and he spent five days in intensive care.

Heidi suffered head, neck and leg injuries and is still recieving treatment. Jack suffered a broken leg as well as cuts and bruises and has just finished seven months of physiotherapy.

Mr Player, 57, from Worthing, was aiflifted to Worthing Hospital with serious leg injuries.

"Horrific" scene

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Hart, an apprentice bricklayer, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for dangerous driving, 30 months on each of the three charges of GBH and 18 months for the ABH '” the sentences all to run concurrently.

He was also sentenced to concurrent prison terms of five and six months for breaches of previous suspended sentences.

One of the victims, who asked not to be named, said: "It is nice to see justice has been done. He did show some remorse and took responsibility by pleading guilty. The crash could have been so much more serious."

Witnesses at the time described the scene as "horrific" and "awful".

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At an earlier court hearing at Worthing Magistrates' Court, Hart's solicitor Chris Chatterton described his driving as having "disastrous results". Mr Chatterton said Hart was "confronted with carnage" but remained at the scene and tried to put out flames on the motorbike.

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