A PIZZA delivery driver who caused serious injuries to a couple out walking in the Cotswolds has been jailed for dangerous driving.

Arturs Kepals, 29, was given a 15-month sentence after been found guilty at Gloucester Crown Court on Thursday.

Kepals had denied causing serious injury to Sarah Wain by dangerous driving on November 4 last year at South Cerney.

 

Mrs Wain and her husband were struck by Kepals’ Vauxhall Corsa van after it hit a Ford Focus driven by Mary Merrick at the junction of Broadway Lane and the Spine Road at 6.40pm that day.

He admitted his driving was careless when he pulled out from the junction, but denied it was dangerous. However, after a retirement of just over two-and-half hours the jury unanimously convicted Kepals of dangerous driving.

Kepals was delivering pizzas at the time of the accident.

Speaking during the sentencing the judge said: “On November 4 you took a risk. You were in a hurry.

“At a difficult junction, you hurriedly rushed straight across.

“You made so few checks of the dangers that you did not even see Mr and Mrs Wain.

“You have always acknowledged the subsequent devastating collision with Mrs Merrick was your fault.

“You, as is your right, had a trial saying it was a mistake. It was not.

“It was criminally dangerous and had a devastating effect on the Wain family.”

 

Those present in court heard that after Kepals hit Mr and Mrs Wain, who were standing by the side of the road, an air ambulance attended, and Mrs Wain was then in an induced coma for five weeks.

She has no recollection of the collision or the entire week before it happened due to the trauma.

“She had many fractures, brain injury, fractured neck and pelvis, a punctured lung, right eye nerve damage and she still now uses a stick to walk,” the court heard.

Mr Wain had a damaged knee, internal chest damage, and his chest cavity filled with blood.

Mary Merrick, the driver of the vehicle Kepals pulled out in front of, suffered a broken wrist, bruising to her chest and pelvis, added the prosecutor.

 

Kepals, formerly of Lygon Walk, Cheltenham but now living in his native Latvia, suffered minor whiplash,and was released from hospital later that day.

Judge Michael Cullum said that only an immediate custodial sentence could be imposed for such a serious offence and he jailed Kepals for 15 months.

“The sentence that I will impose is one within the range that can be suspended, but in my judgement the appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate sentence of imprisonment.”

Kepals was also disqualified from driving for three years and must take an extended test before driving again.