A hit-and-run driver who crashed into a mother pushing her baby's pram has been jailed. Dale Clark was driving a Toyota RAV4 car when it collided with Rebecca Sharp in the Redhill Park area of Bournemouth at 9am on April 11.

Mrs Sharp, aged in her 30s, selflessly pushed the pram away to avoid her child from being harmed. She was taken to Southampton General Hospital with life-threatening injuries where has been based for several months.

The motorist initially denied he was over the drink drive limit, but working with police, CPS prosecutors were able to prove Clark’s driving was impaired by alcohol he consumed the previous night – thanks to CCTV and witness evidence.

Instead of stopping at the scene, Clark fled and left Mrs Sharp lying unconscious in the middle of the road. One witness memorised Clark’s number plate before rushing to Mrs Sharp’s aid with another driver.

After being arrested several hours later, Clark had a reading of 46 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.

He claimed he had been drinking at a pub in New Milton following the crash. However, CCTV enquiries at the pub in question proved Clark had not visited. In addition, a cleaner who worked at an inn Clark had stayed in the previous evening reported finding two empty litre bottles of vodka in his room.

Clark, aged 38 and of New Milton in Hampshire, was due to stand trial in August but changed his plea to guilty for drink-driving. A separate charge of driving under the influence of drugs was dropped after the prosecution decided not to push forward with the charge.

Clark had previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and failing to stop after a collision at Bournemouth Crown Court in May. At a sentencing at Bournemouth Crown Court on Monday morning (October 23), Clark was jailed for three years and eight months.

He was also issued a six-year driving ban which was extended for one year and 10 months as well as ordered to pay a £228 victim surcharge.

Mrs Sharp sustained life-threatening injuries including swelling on her brain, multiple breaks to the left side of her pelvis and injuries to her legs.. She was in a coma for eight weeks before she was woken up. It is unclear the long-term future of her injuries, but it is understood her recovery could take several years.

Her baby suffered no injuries in the incident but was taken to hospital as a precaution.

Andrew Coley, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS Wessex, said: “This incident has shattered the lives of Mrs Sharp and her family. It is especially shocking that when Clark saw Mrs Sharp on the ground with her young child nearby, he chose not to stop and instead left her for dead.

“The CPS worked closely with Dorset Police to build a solid case against Clark – using CCTV evidence to disprove his false claims that he was not above the legal drink drive limit at the time of the collision. Our thoughts are with Mrs Sharp and her family, and we wish her all the best in her recovery.”

https://www.dorset.live/news/dorset-news/hit-run-drunk-driver-jailed-8851693

On 23/10/2023 04:19 pm, Simon Mason wrote:

> A hit-and-run driver who crashed into a mother pushing her baby's pram has been jailed. Dale Clark was driving a Toyota RAV4 car when it collided with Rebecca Sharp in the Redhill Park area of Bournemouth at 9am on April 11.
>
> Mrs Sharp, aged in her 30s, selflessly pushed the pram away to avoid her child from being harmed. She was taken to Southampton General Hospital with life-threatening injuries where has been based for several months.
>
> The motorist initially denied he was over the drink drive limit, but working with police, CPS prosecutors were able to prove Clark’s driving was impaired by alcohol he consumed the previous night – thanks to CCTV and witness evidence.

TV cameras and (hopefully, neutral) witnesses are able to measure and
record blood alcohol levels at a distance?

Who knew? Is it a super-power? Do the witnesses have to be Kryptonians?

And why do the police still bother with pursuits and breathalysers, then?

> Instead of stopping at the scene, Clark fled and left Mrs Sharp lying unconscious in the middle of the road. One witness memorised Clark’s number plate before rushing to Mrs Sharp’s aid with another driver.
> After being arrested several hours later, Clark had a reading of 46 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.
> He claimed he had been drinking at a pub in New Milton following the crash. However, CCTV enquiries at the pub in question proved Clark had not visited. In addition, a cleaner who worked at an inn Clark had stayed in the previous evening reported finding two empty litre bottles of vodka in his room.

Had he drunk two bottles of vodka, it is unlikely that he would be up
and about at 09:00 the following morning. In order to be able to consume
large amounts of alcohol without serious effects, it is necessary to
consume it in a hole in the floor of a domestic garage. I'm sure I read
that somewhere, some years ago.
>
> Clark, aged 38 and of New Milton in Hampshire, was due to stand trial in August but changed his plea to guilty for drink-driving. A separate charge of driving under the influence of drugs was dropped after the prosecution decided not to push forward with the charge.
> Clark had previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and failing to stop after a collision at Bournemouth Crown Court in May. At a sentencing at Bournemouth Crown Court on Monday morning (October 23), Clark was jailed for three years and eight months.
> He was also issued a six-year driving ban which was extended for one year and 10 months as well as ordered to pay a £228 victim surcharge.

Why a six-year ban and an extension? Why not just a ban of the requisite
length?

> Mrs Sharp sustained life-threatening injuries including swelling on her brain, multiple breaks to the left side of her pelvis and injuries to her legs. She was in a coma for eight weeks before she was woken up. It is unclear the long-term future of her injuries, but it is understood her recovery could take several years.
> Her baby suffered no injuries in the incident but was taken to hospital as a precaution.
> Andrew Coley, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS Wessex, said: “This incident has shattered the lives of Mrs Sharp and her family. It is especially shocking that when Clark saw Mrs Sharp on the ground with her young child nearby, he chose not to stop and instead left her for dead.
> “The CPS worked closely with Dorset Police to build a solid case against Clark – using CCTV evidence to disprove his false claims that he was not above the legal drink drive limit at the time of the collision. Our thoughts are with Mrs Sharp and her family, and we wish her all the best in her recovery.”
>
> https://www.dorset.live/news/dorset-news/hit-run-drunk-driver-jailed-8851693

QUOTE: Andrew Coley, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS Wessex, said: “This incident has shattered the lives of Mrs Sharp and her family. It is especially shocking that when Clark saw Mrs Sharp on the ground with her young child nearby, he chose not to stop and instead left her for dead. ENDS

Have some sympathy - this pathetic vermin had drunk loads of Vodka - bugger the child in the pram.

TWAT, GO TO JAIL.

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: Andrew Coley, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS Wessex, said: “This
> incident has shattered the lives of Mrs Sharp and her family. It is
> especially shocking that when Clark saw Mrs Sharp on the ground with her
> young child nearby, he chose not to stop and instead left her for dead. ENDS

> Have some sympathy - this pathetic vermin had drunk loads of Vodka -
> bugger the child in the pram.
>
> TWAT, GO TO JAIL.

Clearly you are taking a completely different position here to that of the
little girl that was kicked to the ground by a passing cyclist, where in
essence you were blaming her for the violent attack.

--
Spike

QUOTE: He claimed he had been drinking at a pub in New Milton following the crash. However, CCTV enquiries at the pub in question proved Clark had not visited. ENDS

How was he pissed up then?

Simon Mason <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: He claimed he had been drinking at a pub in New Milton following
> the crash. However, CCTV enquiries at the pub in question proved Clark
> had not visited. ENDS

> How was he pissed up then?

Perhaps he sat in a garage inspection pit swilling home-brew…it has been
known…

--
Spike

On Tuesday, October 24, 2023 at 8:25:28 AM UTC+1, Simon Mason wrote:
> QUOTE: He claimed he had been drinking at a pub in New Milton following the crash. However, CCTV enquiries at the pub in question proved Clark had not visited. ENDS
>
> How was he pissed up then?

It was a futile attempt at the old "I was sober until I necked a litre of vodka at home" routine.