Mansfield man went home to take drugs after knocking e-bike rider under his ‘unsafe’ van

Jeremy Taylor failed to spot the rider as he turned left into Stockwell Court at speed in a white Movano van at 2.30pm on August 29, 2023, said Dawn Pritchard, prosecuting.

The rider had to be pulled out from under the van and was left with grazed elbows, bruised knees and a sore shoulder. He also needed to take a week off work.

Taylor, aged 52, returned home and told police he took the drugs after the accident.

When the van was due to be driven away the brake pedal hit the floor and officers discovered all the fluid had leaked.

"Anyone driving the van would have been aware of the issue," said Ms Pritchard. "Power in the brake would be lost.

"But there is nothing to suggest he braked; he just turned in at speed.

"The van was in an appalling condition. There were a number of other defects but none of them would have contributed to the accident."

Nottingham Crown Court heard Taylor was convicted of careless driving in 2020 and was last in trouble for driving without insurance in January 2023.

Judge Michael Auty said the defendant's previous convictions were primarily for drug possession "of virtually every type known to man."

Laura Pitman, mitigating, said: "He realises if he keeps using heroin intravenously things are going to look pretty dire in the not too distant future if they aren't already.”

She asked the judge to keep the disqualification as low as possible so he can get back into work and pointed to a six year period when Taylor was free of drugs and ran his own painting and decorating business.

Taylor, of Stockwell Court, Mansfield, admitted dangerous driving when he appeared in court on May 1 last year.

On Thursday he was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years, with up to 35 rehabilitation days and a nine month drug programme.

A two year driving ban was imposed and Taylor must take the extended re-test.