An ambulance driver ploughed into a car driven by a keen sportsman on his way to play underwater hockey.
But Danny Moss was spared an immediate prison sentence after the judge heard the 44-year-old was the victim of another dangerous driver six months after the crash in January 2020.
That crash in July 2020 – caused by the brother of England football striker coach Allan Russell – left Moss with such devastating injuries that paramedics had to perform CPR en route to the hospital. He survived but needs ongoing medical care.
READ MORE: England coach's drunk brother left ambulance driver with life-changing injuries in 100mph crash
On Monday, Oxford Crown Court heard that Moss was behind the wheel of a private ambulance owned by company ION when he was overtaken by a car on the A4310 Nosworthy Way, near Wallingford, on January 23, 2020.
Prosecutor Rebecca Foulkes said: “One potential interpretation is the defendant was irritated by that manoeuvre.”
The car ahead began braking. But Moss increased his speed, with a dash cam in the ambulance showing he went from 54mph to 66mph on the 60mph limit road.
Moss crossed into a right-turn lane, later claiming he thought the road had turned into a dual carriageway, and saw a traffic island in the middle of the road too late.
He swerved into the path of an oncoming Nissan driven by management consultant and father-of-four Paul Wilson, who was on his way to an 'underwater hockey' session at a swimming pool.
The head-on crash left both vehicles seriously damaged. Mr Wilson was trapped in his car for 30 minutes before he could be cut free. Moss rang 999, telling the operator it was ‘misjudgement’ that caused the crash.
Mr Wilson suffered an open leg fracture among other injuries. The devastating crash left the keen athlete, who coached youth football, ran ultra-marathons and had recently taken up underwater hockey, initially bed-ridden then unable to walk without crutches. A successful management consultant, he was off work for months.
READ MORE: Judge's sentencing remarks in private ambulance driver's dangerous driving case
He was described as ‘stoical’ by the judge. In his latest victim personal statement written on the second anniversary of the crash, he said his injuries were ‘more long lasting than I had dreamed’ but he was ‘excited for the future’.
In mitigation, Moss was said to be genuinely remorseful. A director of ION, the ambulance firm for which he’d worked from 2016, provided a character reference in support of his former employee.
Sentencing him to 18 months’ imprisonment suspended for two years, Judge Maria Lamb said: “The question then is whether or not this needs to be a sentence which is served immediately.
“No doubt [those] who have been a victim of this sort of offence would be disappointed to hear the course that I am going to take, which is that this is going to be a sentence which I can suspend.”
He was banned from driving for three years and must pass an extended retest. He was ordered to pay £1,000 compensation.
Moss, formerly of Lincoln Gardens, Didcot, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here
Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on news@nqo.com or 01865 425 445.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article