Man who asked injured pal to lie after car smash avoids custody by "finest of margins"

A man who badly injured his friend in a car smash then asked him to lie to police about the incident has avoided custody by the "finest of margins".
The roundabout where Petch crashed.The roundabout where Petch crashed.
The roundabout where Petch crashed.

Curtis Jay Petch, who had no driving licence or insurance, drove the Hyundai i20 "well above" the speed limit before clipping the kerb on a roundabout where Southmoor Road meets the A628 Hemsworth bypass and flipped the vehicle onto its roof.

Prosecutor Camille Morland outlined the case at Leeds Crown Court and said that Petch, who is now 23, had been with friends at a house on South Street in Hemsworth on August 4 last year.

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Between 9pm and 10pm Petch took his friend's Hyundai and drove to the ATM to get cash for more booze and took two passengers with him in the vehicle.

After collecting the cash from the Barclays machine in Hemsworth, Petch then drove off at speed.

Despite one of his passengers asking him to slow down, he told him be quiet, the court heard.

He went round the roundabout twice before inexplicably pulling up the handbrake and losing control.

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When the car came to a standstill on it roof, the three of them were able to crawl out through a window, but one cut his left hand badly.

Petch then told the others they needed to run because he had no licence or insurance. He also asked his pal to lie to the police, and so told them he had been attacked outside a supermarket and was stabbed in his hand.

But the police did not believe his story and he quickly confessed. He also needed surgery on his hand to have metal plates and splints inserted.

Petch, of Hamel Rise, Hemsworth, admitted a charge of causing serious injury through dangerous driving, which he did at the first opportunity.

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The court was told he had no previous convictions at the time of the offence, but had since been convicted of possessing an offensive weapon.

Mitigating, Stephen Littlewood said Petch was adamant he had not been drinking that day, but had been dealing with family issues at the time including the death of a family member.

Petch had been held on remand at HMP Leeds after failing to answer to custody nearly a month ago which had a "profound effect" on him, and he had even attempted suicide.

Petch could be seen and heard sobbing over the video link from the prison during the hearing.

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Mr Littlewood said: "His actions on that day were entirely irresponsible and he accepts that.

"He is at a turning point in his life, he can either stay in prison and live the life of a criminal, or, in his own words, grow up."

Recorder Jeremy Hill-Baker suggested Petch had been "showing off" that day but accepted that his mental health had been greatly affected during that period.

He said: "You were obviously at rock bottom when you went into custody. You have expressed genuine remorse.

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"There's little doubt that prison has had a scarring effect on you."

He handed him a 20-month jail term, but suspended it for two years, saying he avoided immediate custody by the "finest of margins".

He also gave him 150 hours of unpaid work, and a two-year driving ban.