Man fled scene of ‘high impact’ collision after car he hit collided with wall

A man who fled the scene after a ‘high impact’ collision with a car that then hit the wall of a Tydd St Mary home has been disqualified for nine months.

Charlie Layde, 45, dumped his Mercedes E320 about a mile away and did not report the collision.

His car hit a Mini Cooper, driven by Sorcha Whitecross, on the A1101 main road at Tydd St Mary.

Prosecutor Simon Elmer told Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on Friday: “This caused Miss Whitecross’s vehicle to concertina into the wall of the property called Romanhurst, causing substantial damage to the wall and Miss Whitecross’s vehicle.

“It was a high impact collision causing the vehicle to come to rest in the middle of the carriageway
some way up from where she collided with the wall.”

Layde’s car was found abandoned in nearby Middle Road, with substantial damage to its front end.

Miss Whitecross, who was taken to hospital for treatment, told police she had been following the Mercedes, which stopped and the driver got out.

“So she pulled out and drove around it,” said Mr Elmer. “As she drove past the driver of the Mercedes slammed a fist on her window.”

Miss Whitecross said she drove away and, in her rear view mirror, saw the Mercedes closing in on her at high speed. The collision then happened.

In a written statement, Layde, of Dowgate Road, Leverington, said “a lack of concentration” by him was the cause.

He added: “I was extremely upset. I suffer from depression and social anxiety.”

Magistrates ordered a pre-sentence report which was completed on the day.

Solicitor Justin Atkinson, mitigating, said it was clear from the report that his client was remorseful.

He said Layde had not driven since the incident on June 26 last year but hoped to do so in future.

As well as the ban, Layde – who pleaded guilty to careless driving, failing to stop after an accident and failing to report an accident – was fined £120 and given a 12-month community order with 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He was also ordered to pay £180 in costs and victim surcharge.