Coked-up driver left young cyclist with serious injuries - family speaks out

Noah Herring suffered a broken leg, fractured collar bone and a bleed on the brain when Harry Summersgill ploughed into him when he was driving at more than 60mph after taking cocaine, cannabis, and ketamine.

The devastating after effects of the impact were caught on the helmet-camera of his father who was riding behind him as they rode along a cycle lane on their way to Preston Park in Eaglescliffe.

• More news: Young Mercedes driver high on drugs when he crashed into six-year-old cyclist

The footage was not shown in open court as it was too distressing.

Harry Summersgill's badly damaged Mercedes

In his victim personal statement, his father said: "Noah was exactly where he was meant to be that morning, in front of his dad listening to instructions on how to keep him safe - you Harry were not.

"You were too caught up in your own selfish act of self-destruction to even care about the consequences of your actions, for anyone or anything.

"Seeing my little Noah disappear before my eyes in an explosion of metal and glass as you drove that car into my defenceless son. Seeing Noah laid lifeless with the clothes ripped from his body, broken, bloodied and deadly still; his eyes wide with no signs of life will be and forever be a traumatising image that will disturb me forever."

He added: "Your actions will speak louder than your words ever will that day, rather than help, you turned your back on Noah and me, not caring or knowing whether he was alive or dead - you just walked away.

"This was not just a simple accident."

Noah's mother added: "That phone call will remain in my head forever, it's one that no mother wants to recieve. When I arrived at the scene I could see the absolute carnage you had caused before getting into the ambulance.

"Knowing that you were in the hospital, not because you were injured but because of the drugs you had taken, while I was in hte resuscitation room being told me son had a bleed on the brain, has made me question this world and some of those people in it."

The 24-year-old pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving in connection with a crash involving a white Mercedes Benz and two cyclists on Yarm Road in Eaglescliffe at 7.15am on Sunday, February 28.

He was jailed for three years and banned from driving for six and a half years.

Harry Summersgill

Speaking after the hearing, Inspector David Williams, of Cleveland Police, said: "When Harry Summersgill got behind the wheel, highly intoxicated by drugs and speeding at over 60mph on a 30mph road, he had no regard for the danger he posed to anyone else.

"Harry went on to hit a six-year-old boy at excess speed and caused him serious injuries, which fortunately did not turn out to be fatal.

"The trauma impacted on this family as a result of Harry Summergill’s actions has been immeasurable and I hope they can find some comfort in the knowledge that he will now serve a lengthy sentence behind bars.

"Driving under the influence of drugs is absolutely unacceptable and we will continue to target those we suspect of driving under the influence through intelligence-led policing."