Driver who was on drugs, blind in one eye, with no licence and 140 convictions, walks free from court after crashing into woman and leaving her badly injured
Ronald Dodd, 35, veered in front of Neelam Noir, who feared she had been paralysed
A BLIND driver with no licence who smashed into another car after veering onto the wrong side of the road while on drugs has walked free from court - despite seriously injuring a woman who feared she had been paralysed.
Ronald Dodd, who has 140 previous convictions, was on methadone and is blind in one eye, crashed head-on into Neelam Noir's Nissan Micra in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear.
Noir suffered a fractured breastbone and was terrified she had been paralysed, while her partner in the passenger seat suffered whiplash, reports .
Dodd, 35, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and related offences, but a judge let him walk free because he’s kept out of trouble for more than a year and his mum relies on his help.
Judge Robert Spragg, at Newcastle Crown Court, said: “He absolutely deserves to go to prison but we are a year and four months on and he has not been in any trouble.
“I don’t think it will benefit anyone by sending him to prison.”
Turning to Dodd, the judge added: “You help your mother who is in poor health and she relies on our for cleaning and washing and everyday life.
“I can suspend the sentence because you have stayed out of trouble and because of the effect on your mother.”
Dodd - who told the court he didn't see Noir's car because he is blind in one eye - was driving a Vauxhall Vectra on January 2 last year at around 4.10pm.
The court heard he revved his engine aggressively at a traffic lights, braked hard at a crossing and then accelerated before veering in front of the Noir's Micra.
Drug-addict Dodd tried to reverse but his car was too badly damaged, and he told witnesses to "f*** off" when they tried to help.
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He stumbled as he jogged away, but left his phone at the scene so was easily traced.
But he later handed himself in and said he had been praying the victim was alright, but denied driving dangerously, claiming he swerved because he thought a pedestrian was stepping out.
Judge Spragg said: “[Noir] was clearly very worried after the crash and thought she might be paralysed.
“She had to attend hospital for weeks and weeks, has had flashbacks and couldn’t sleep or do household chores.
“She was in pain physically and emotionally, has been having counselling and it has affected her ability to concentrate on day to day tasks.”
Dodd, of Sunderland Road, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, failing to stop after an accident and having no insurance.
He was sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years, banned from driving for three years, given an electronic tag and ordered to attend rehab.
Defending, Joe Hedworth said: “He is an anxious person, he is on anti-psychotic medication and he has found the whole process difficult.
“He thought there was a substantial risk he was going to to prison.
“He asks me to publicly convey his most sincere apologies to the complainant.
“He has no intention of ever driving again.”
The court heard Dodd had a difficult childhood, living in 20 different care homes, became addicted to drugs from a young age and was seriously assault in 2012.
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