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A SERIOUS driving "misjudgement"

led to a head-on crash that left the one of the drivers with problems finding work.

Frank Armstong drove into an oncoming car after overtaking on a humpback bridge, in Drum Road, near Chester-le-Street, at 7pm, on October 17, last year.

Durham Crown Court heard that Gene Bilton was at the wheel of his Vauxhall Vectra approaching the bridge when he suddenly saw a car ahead.

Jane Mitford, prosecuting, said: "He could not swerve as he would have hit the vehicle being overtaken by Armstrong.

"His only course of action was to apply his brakes.

"He remembers nothing about the impact except his vehicle rolled backwards, across the carriageway, and struck a metal fence."

Firefighters cut Mr Bilton free from the Vectra, which, like Armstrong's Rover, was an insurance write-off.

Mr Bilton suffered severe whiplash and tissue damage to his right arm, and was off work for four weeks.

Miss Mitford said that on returning to work he could not complete his previous duties and was given a desk job.

She said the 55-year-old steel fitter, of Holmlands Estate, Sunniside, Houghton-le-Spring, is now unemployed after the company closed and fears he will be unable to find work.

Miss Mitford said police accident investigators estimated Armstrong was driving at 50mph on the 30mph-limit stretch of road. He told police he was driving about 50mph, believing that was the speed limit.

Armstrong, 29, of Wardle Street, South Moor, Stanley, admitted dangerous driving.

The court heard he had a previous drink-drive conviction and received a six-month supervision order in January for assaulting his now estranged partner, three days after the collision.

Jamie Adams, mitigating, said it was, "not prolonged bad driving", and took place during a difficult period in his domestic life. But Mr Adams said Armstrong was now on better terms with his ex-partner, and hoped to find work after completing a bricklaying course.

Judge Richard Lowden said: "It was a gross miscalculation - a bad error of judgement."

But he added, as there were no "aggravating features", he could avoid imposing a prison sentence.

Armstrong was given a 12- month community order, including 120 hours' unpaid work and was banned from driving for a year.

12:06pm Friday 9th May 2008

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