33-year-old Joseph George Hughes has been given a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, after a serious crash near Godshill earlier this year which resulted in a stolen car bursting into flames.
Hughes appeared before the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court last week charged with aggravated vehicle taking and injury caused by accident, driving whilst disqualified and using a motor vehicle on a road without third party insurance.
The court heard how Hughes had stolen the vehicle – a Seat Ibiza – on 26th April before crashing on the main road between Godshill and Whitely Bank. As a result of the crash, over £5,000 of damage was caused to a parked Southern Gas van and the stolen Ibiza was completely destroyed by fire.
3 fire engines, 3 ambulances and senior officers were all sent to the scene of the crash near Redhill Lane in Sandford, with plumes of smoke seen billowing into the sky for neighbouring towns and villages. The car burst into flames upon impact.
Amazingly, Hughes and his 3 passengers escaped from the vehicle but suffered varying degrees of injury.
Joseph Hughes, who was already a disqualified driver, has been given a further 12-month ban and handed down a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. He has been ordered to pay £85 costs with a £128 surcharge. He must also complete 25 rehabilitation days.
Justice system should be called joke system
It’s about time the courts started hitting these muppets with fines that bear some resemblence to what it has cost the various innocent parties for their reckless actions.
Couldnt make it up…
What the hell do you have to do to get a prison sentence these days , it’s the same so called punishment for every crime . Waste of police time and money !
We need to stop using X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent judges to sentence these low life scum
Why aren’t these people made to pay the TOTAL costs of their actions, ie damages, emergency services etc etc? If we can saddle university students with long term debt then surely the low life should be made to pay up.
The sentence should fit the crime. Fines are a waste of time. Six months hard labour, out in all weathers would be a better punishment.
What a joke on the fine ,its a cheap couple of hours fun for him it costs more for a family day out to blackgang etcshould of been at least 10000 fine to cover expenses and 300 hours community service
what a joke, how much did it cost the tax payer for the 3 fire crews and ambulance crews to go out, the cost of the damage to the van and other third party items as well as the person who lost their car, he should be made to pay for everything