Speed Kills! (well it very nearly did)
Discussion
Jail warning to driver
by our news team
Badly hurt: Rachel Birrell and Ian Martin
A bus driver is facing a prison sentence for mowing down two teenage sweethearts in his car.
Metin Ilkhan, 24, was speeding along Hove seafront when he ploughed into Ian Martin and his then girlfriend Rachel Birrell, both 16 at the time.
Miss Birrell, of Elm Drive, Hove, suffered a severe ankle injury and still has difficulty walking.
Mr Martin, the son of former Hove mayor and mayoress Peter and Jacqui Martin, of New Church Road, Hove, suffered serious head injuries and was close to death.
He was thrown into the air and then dragged under the car in Kingsway on July 1 last year.
Ilkhan, a London bus driver who lives in south London, was convicted yesterday of dangerous driving after a week-long trial at Lewes Crown Court. He had pleaded not guilty.
He showed no emotion as the jury returned a guilty verdict.
Recorder Anthony Chinn said: "This is plainly a serious matter and a custodial sentence is the likely outcome."
Ilkhan told the court he accelerated to between 45mph and 50mph in a 30mph zone to avoid colliding with another car as two lanes merged.
He was released on conditional bail for reports and sentencing was adjourned to October 25.
Mr Martin, now 18, still cannot remember anything about the accident or the month he spent in hospital. Speaking after the verdict, he said: "I'm very happy."
His father is planning a thank-you get-together for people who helped his son and Rachel. They will include members of the public who lifted the car off Ian as he lay in the road.
by our news team
Badly hurt: Rachel Birrell and Ian Martin
A bus driver is facing a prison sentence for mowing down two teenage sweethearts in his car.
Metin Ilkhan, 24, was speeding along Hove seafront when he ploughed into Ian Martin and his then girlfriend Rachel Birrell, both 16 at the time.
Miss Birrell, of Elm Drive, Hove, suffered a severe ankle injury and still has difficulty walking.
Mr Martin, the son of former Hove mayor and mayoress Peter and Jacqui Martin, of New Church Road, Hove, suffered serious head injuries and was close to death.
He was thrown into the air and then dragged under the car in Kingsway on July 1 last year.
Ilkhan, a London bus driver who lives in south London, was convicted yesterday of dangerous driving after a week-long trial at Lewes Crown Court. He had pleaded not guilty.
He showed no emotion as the jury returned a guilty verdict.
Recorder Anthony Chinn said: "This is plainly a serious matter and a custodial sentence is the likely outcome."
Ilkhan told the court he accelerated to between 45mph and 50mph in a 30mph zone to avoid colliding with another car as two lanes merged.
He was released on conditional bail for reports and sentencing was adjourned to October 25.
Mr Martin, now 18, still cannot remember anything about the accident or the month he spent in hospital. Speaking after the verdict, he said: "I'm very happy."
His father is planning a thank-you get-together for people who helped his son and Rachel. They will include members of the public who lifted the car off Ian as he lay in the road.
Without wanting to sound obtuse and not armed with all of the facts - would the same fuss still be being made if the careless pedestrians had stepped under a car that wasnt speeding?
I very much doubt it.
Whatever, the guy was speeding so he is therefore seen to be completely at fault.
I very much doubt it.
Whatever, the guy was speeding so he is therefore seen to be completely at fault.
quote:
What are the other details?? Did the accident happen on the road or on the pavement?? Did he lose control or did they try and walk in front of oncoming traffic? Too many unanswered questions here.
First published on Tuesday 03 July 2001:
Crash teenager's fight for life
by Phil Mills
Teenager Ian Martin is fighting for his life as his girlfriend of two years Rachel Birrell recovers from surgery following a crash on the seafront.
Ian and Rachel, both 16, were injured in a collision with a Renault 5 as they were using a pelican crossing in Kingsway, Hove, on Sunday night.
The couple had just finished GCSE exams at Hove Park School and were enjoying an evening stroll when they were hit.
Rachel was thrown 12 metres and suffered a severe ankle injury.
Ian, son of former Hove mayor Peter Martin and former mayoress Jacqui, was dragged under the car.
Ian's older brother Neil said Rachel and Ian had been together two years and were close.
Last night Ian was fighting for his life. His parents waited by his bedside.
Mr Martin, speaking from the hospital, said: "Ian is extremely poorly and we are praying for him.
"There is a big dent in his head caused by swelling at the back. Machines are doing all the work for him.
"We are not sure if there is brain damage and we are waiting to see what the neuro consultant says. Doctors may take him off medication and machines tomorrow.
"It was such a shock. One minute you are talking to your son and 45 minutes later police are calling to say he has been involved in a road accident.
"He had just popped down to Hove Lagoon with his girlfriend and he was going to look at cars at Caffyns - he's getting to that age where he'll be driving soon."
Ian had to be transported an extra 50 miles after being turned away from the nearest specialist head injury hospital.
He ended up in north London at the Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead.
Doctors planned to send him to Hurstwood Park Neurological Centre in Haywards Heath, only to be told there was no bed available.
Richard Penney, a spokesman for Mid Sussex NHS Trust which runs Hurstwood Park, said there were occasions when patients would have to travel further afield for treatment.
He said: "There are only a small number of specialist units like ours in this area and occasionally demand can be high for places and spaces are limited.
"This means patients sometimes will not necessarily get into the closest unit but the treatment they get will still be the same."
Rachel, who lives with her parents Colin and Alison in Elm Drive, Hove, underwent surgery at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, in Brighton.
Her father Mr Birrell, fighting back tears, said: "Rachel is a lovely girl and hard working."
Ian's father, a 50-year-old former Hove Tory councillor and the mayor in 1993-94, said his son loves playing rugby and is a talented wood craftsman.
Ian has ambitions to run his own furniture-making business: "He has made lots of things for different people and he has taken over our garage to work."
Mr Martin, of New Church Road, Hove, and Mr Birrell thanked members of the public and emergency services who came to the couple's aid.
Ian ended up under the Renault and customers at the nearby Kingsway pub lifted the vehicle off.
There had been four people in the car. The driver, a 22-year-old man from London has been released on bail pending further inquiries.
First published on Tuesday 03 July 2001:
More to do on killer road
Two teenagers have been badly injured in yet another horrific accident on the Kingsway in Hove.
The girl has severe leg and ankle injuries while the boy is being treated in a specialist London hospital for serious head injuries.
It is too early to say exactly what caused this accident which happened at the western end of the seafront road.
But it is the latest in a long series of crashes in which many people have been killed or seriously injured.
The problem is Kingsway is a fairly straight six-lane dual carriageway and even careful motorists can find themselves doing 40mph.
Yet the speed limit, rightly, is 30mph because the road is residential along almost its entire length and at this time of year, people want to cross it to reach the sea.
Close to where this accident occurred, a new pelican crossing has just been installed because it was the most dangerous crossing point in Brighton or Hove.
Warning signs have been put on lamp posts urging drivers to take care and travel slowly, yet still this accident has occurred.
Kingsway is a main artery carrying up to 30,000 vehicles a day. It is almost impossible to reduce traffic on it without diverting it into other roads with the same problem.
But this accident is a tragic reminder of the fact that still more measures need to be introduced there so that people can cross this busy highway safely.
>> Edited by Marcos Maniac on Wednesday 9th October 11:51
quote:
The problem is Kingsway is a fairly straight six-lane dual carriageway and even careful motorists can find themselves doing 40mph.
A six lane dual carriageway?? DOH!
If its the road I think it is, then its easy to travel along it at way above the 30 limit - most traffic IIRC does around 40 ......., so 45-50 to get past a car before the width reduction is not that unexpected.
Not defending the driver, but as Madcop is fond of saying, if you weren't there you don't know what happened, so blaming the driver alone is irresponsible.
quote:
quote:
The problem is Kingsway is a fairly straight six-lane dual carriageway and even careful motorists can find themselves doing 40mph.
A six lane dual carriageway?? DOH!
If its the road I think it is, then its easy to travel along it at way above the 30 limit - most traffic IIRC does around 40 ......., so 45-50 to get past a car before the width reduction is not that unexpected.
The six lane dual carriageway statement is a bit misleading - its actually 4 lanes that changes to 6 at the traffic lights (slip lane access to the harbour)
Where the injured parties were knocked down is about 200 - 250 yards from the GATSO mounted in the central reservation. The road doesnt actually narrow down to single lane until you are right on top of the pedestrian crossing although parked vehicles (quite often lorries and vans parked up narrow it down)
FFS to accelerate to 50mph through there is suicidal
If he hit them on the pedestrian crossing then I'd agree - lock him up!
What about if they were gassing amongst themselves (excited about going down to look at the cars in the garage) and just walked out in front of him, totally oblivious to their surroundings because of the excitement........
Don't be so fast to lay blame is all I'm saying - next time it might be you and you'd want all the mitigating circumstances taken into account I'm sure.
What about if they were gassing amongst themselves (excited about going down to look at the cars in the garage) and just walked out in front of him, totally oblivious to their surroundings because of the excitement........
Don't be so fast to lay blame is all I'm saying - next time it might be you and you'd want all the mitigating circumstances taken into account I'm sure.
Driver jailed for mowing down couple
by our news team
A bus driver who mowed down two teenage sweethearts in his car has been jailed for 18 months.
Metin Ilkhan, 24, was jailed at Lewes Crown Court today after speeding along Hove seafront and ploughing into Rachel Birell and her then boyfriend Ian Martin, who were both 16.
Miss Birell, of Elm Drive, Hove, suffered a severe ankle injury and still has difficulty walking.
Mr Martin, of New Church Road, Hove, suffered serious head injuries. He was thrown into the air and dragged under Ilkhan's car in Kingsway on July 1 last year.
Ilkhan, a London bus driver who lives in the capital, was convicted at the same court in October of dangerous driving. He had pleaded not guilty but the jury rejected that plea after a week-long trial.
Today the judge, Recorder Anthony Chinn, jailed Ilkhan for 18 months and banned him from driving for three years.
He told Ilkhan he would have to serve half of that sentence but if he then committed any further offences on release, would have to serve the balance. He would also have to sit an extended driving test once the ban expired.
The court heard Ilkhan had only bought the car five days before the accident happened.
So remember this: next time you are in a tricky situation, and need to take evasive action... DO NOT ACCELERATE. It's naughty. FAR far better to scrape paint with someones nasty old banger than to avoid it.
Yeah, right. Like you all wouldn't give it some just to avoid this?
Hmmm. Maybe the events leading up to the accident were a give away, and maybe this driver was a numpty, but who knows what really happened?
Be careful out there!
C
Yeah, right. Like you all wouldn't give it some just to avoid this?
Hmmm. Maybe the events leading up to the accident were a give away, and maybe this driver was a numpty, but who knows what really happened?
Be careful out there!
C
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