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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Teacher guilty of '120mph crash' | Teacher guilty of '120mph crash' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A head teacher said to have driven at 120mph before crashing and severely injuring another driver has been found guilty of dangerous driving. | A head teacher said to have driven at 120mph before crashing and severely injuring another driver has been found guilty of dangerous driving. |
| Paul Davies, 51, collided with a car driven by Kelvin Palmer in May 2006 on the A465 Heads of the Valleys Road, leaving him in a wheelchair. | Paul Davies, 51, collided with a car driven by Kelvin Palmer in May 2006 on the A465 Heads of the Valleys Road, leaving him in a wheelchair. |
| The head of Cwmdare Primary School had denied dangerous driving. | The head of Cwmdare Primary School had denied dangerous driving. |
| The judge adjourned sentence at Merthyr Crown Court but said his driving had been "little short of lunatic". | The judge adjourned sentence at Merthyr Crown Court but said his driving had been "little short of lunatic". |
| He was given an immediate driving ban by the judge, who said he had "effectively destroyed" the life of Mr Palmer and his family. | He was given an immediate driving ban by the judge, who said he had "effectively destroyed" the life of Mr Palmer and his family. |
| Judge Stephen Hopkins also criticised the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and police for making a "pig's ear" of the case, before it eventually came to trial. | Judge Stephen Hopkins also criticised the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and police for making a "pig's ear" of the case, before it eventually came to trial. |
| Had it not been for the insistence of Mr Palmer, it would not have come to court at all - both the CPS and police made a pig's ear out of it Judge Stephen Hopkins | Had it not been for the insistence of Mr Palmer, it would not have come to court at all - both the CPS and police made a pig's ear out of it Judge Stephen Hopkins |
| The jury was told Davies' Subaru Impreza collided with Mr Palmer's Ford Fiesta head on, causing the front to "disintegrate". | The jury was told Davies' Subaru Impreza collided with Mr Palmer's Ford Fiesta head on, causing the front to "disintegrate". |
| Davies had been heading for a shopping trip to a B&Q store, while Mr Palmer had been driving on the main road towards Hirwaun after a visit to the same store. | |
| Mr Palmer suffered a fractured pelvis, a fractured shoulder, broken ribs, internal abdominal injuries and spine and serious leg injuries. | Mr Palmer suffered a fractured pelvis, a fractured shoulder, broken ribs, internal abdominal injuries and spine and serious leg injuries. |
| Student nurse Emma Able told the jury that she thought Davies had been travelling at "100 to 120 miles an hour". | Student nurse Emma Able told the jury that she thought Davies had been travelling at "100 to 120 miles an hour". |
| But Davies has told the jury he "refuted" claims he had ever driven at that speed. | But Davies has told the jury he "refuted" claims he had ever driven at that speed. |
| He told the court he was driving at 60mph and blamed large amounts of rainwater on the carriageway for the reason he lost control of the car. | He told the court he was driving at 60mph and blamed large amounts of rainwater on the carriageway for the reason he lost control of the car. |
| Character references | Character references |
| Davies, who has been driving for 35 years, told the court how he had no recollection of the accident itself. | Davies, who has been driving for 35 years, told the court how he had no recollection of the accident itself. |
| "I caused the accident yes, but I don't accept I was driving dangerously," he said. | "I caused the accident yes, but I don't accept I was driving dangerously," he said. |
| Bernard Powell, defending, read character references from Davies' friends and colleagues to the court. | Bernard Powell, defending, read character references from Davies' friends and colleagues to the court. |
| Alan Maddox, chairman of the governing body at Cwmdare Primary School, described him as "honest, trustworthy and helpful", while Tony Ashton, whose children are taught at the school, said Davies was "a man of unimpeachable good character". | Alan Maddox, chairman of the governing body at Cwmdare Primary School, described him as "honest, trustworthy and helpful", while Tony Ashton, whose children are taught at the school, said Davies was "a man of unimpeachable good character". |
| Judge Stephen Hopkins, adjourning sentence until 31 May, told Davies that all options were open but he was banned from driving immediately. | Judge Stephen Hopkins, adjourning sentence until 31 May, told Davies that all options were open but he was banned from driving immediately. |
| Mr Palmer is still unable to return home after the crash | Mr Palmer is still unable to return home after the crash |
| "Your driving on that day was little short of lunatic". | "Your driving on that day was little short of lunatic". |
| "By virtue of the road traffic conditions and speed it has effectively destroyed the life of Mr Palmer and his family." | "By virtue of the road traffic conditions and speed it has effectively destroyed the life of Mr Palmer and his family." |
| The judge said he was "embarrassed" how long the case had taken to come to trial. | The judge said he was "embarrassed" how long the case had taken to come to trial. |
| "Had it not been for the insistence of Mr Palmer, it would not have come to court at all. Both the CPS and police made a pig's ear out of it." | "Had it not been for the insistence of Mr Palmer, it would not have come to court at all. Both the CPS and police made a pig's ear out of it." |
| He went on to say how magistrates at an earlier hearing had discharged the case. | He went on to say how magistrates at an earlier hearing had discharged the case. |
| "I think it's outrageous," he said and asked for his views to be passed to the CPS. | "I think it's outrageous," he said and asked for his views to be passed to the CPS. |
| 'Desperation' | 'Desperation' |
| Speaking after the hearing Mr Palmer, 49, said "I'm very very grateful to the jury. They have recognised the truth and I'm grateful they have given a guilty verdict" | Speaking after the hearing Mr Palmer, 49, said "I'm very very grateful to the jury. They have recognised the truth and I'm grateful they have given a guilty verdict" |
| He said he was considering making a formal complaint about how the case had been handled by South Wales Police. | He said he was considering making a formal complaint about how the case had been handled by South Wales Police. |
| Mr Palmer, a father-of-two, said the reason for the case being discharged by the magistrates before Christmas originally had been because of a failure by officers to take a statement from him. | Mr Palmer, a father-of-two, said the reason for the case being discharged by the magistrates before Christmas originally had been because of a failure by officers to take a statement from him. |
| His wife Anne added: "In desperation I wrote to our local MP." | His wife Anne added: "In desperation I wrote to our local MP." |
| Mr Palmer, who is a business manager, described the last year as "appalling". | Mr Palmer, who is a business manager, described the last year as "appalling". |
| He added that despite being released from hospital 10 months after the accident he had still been unable to return home because disabled facilities were not in place and was currently residing in respite care. | He added that despite being released from hospital 10 months after the accident he had still been unable to return home because disabled facilities were not in place and was currently residing in respite care. |
| He is now considering civil action. | He is now considering civil action. |