Roads ban and fine for driver who hit cyclist on a blind bend in the Borders

A pensioner who ploughed into a cyclist as he overtook him on a blind bend has been banned from driving and ordered to pay his victim compensation.

Anthony Chester, 67, left biker Anthony Clarke with serious injuries after crashing into him while attempting to pass a large group of cyclists on a country road in the Scottish Borders.

Chester was forced to swerve and strike Mr Clarke to avoid colliding with a car coming in the opposite direction on the A6088 Hawick to Carter Bar road in 2019.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told that Mr Clarke no longer cycles due to the impact the crash has had on him.

Chester: Fined and banned from driving

Chester, of North Shields, Tyne and Wear, denied causing serious injury to Mr Clarke by driving dangerously on June 20, 2019 but was found guilty.

Defence solicitor Ross Dow said Chester had kept a clean driving licence for close to 50 years “accepts culpability” for causing the injuries to Mr Clarke.

Dalry crash: Cyclist in hospital after collision with car

Sheriff Daniel Kelly told Chester: “This is a serious charge of which you have been convicted of by a jury. It is causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

“I recollect that the cyclist Anthony Clarke said he has never really been able to cycle again and that he was a keen cyclist up until that point.

“So it has had a serious impact upon him along with the serious injuries he received.

“The roads in the Borders are tricky ones and you do have to take care as they are windy and are there a number of bends.”

READ MORE: Cyclist dies following two-car crash near Scottish village

Chester was ordered to pay Mr Clarke £1000 in compensation and was fined a further £1000 and banned from driving for three years.

Chester was found guilty of causing serious injury to Anthony Clarke by driving dangerously by attempting to overtake a group of cyclists on a corner where he did not have an adequate view of the oncoming traffic and was obliged to take evasive action to avoid a collision with a vehicle and collided with Mr Clarke’s bicycle on the A6088 Hawick to Carter Bar road on June 20, 2019.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.