Driver jailed for 20 months after horrific Swain’s Lane hit and run on cyclist
Josh Dey was left unconscious and suffering brain injuries after he was hit by a car travelling on the wrong side of the road
A BMW driver has been jailed for 20 months after a terrifying hit and run that left a cyclist unconscious in the street.
Sean Fagan, 29, lost control of his car and swerved onto the wrong side of the road on Easter Sunday (April 21), hitting cyclist Josh Dey head on.
Medical student Mr Dey was left with brain injuries and a number of fractures as Fagan fled the scene of the crash, which happened in Swain’s Lane in London.
Fagan, of Regina Road, Islington, appeared at Blackfriars Crown Court on Tuesday (July 2), where he was sentenced to 20 months in prison, local newspaper Ham and High reports.
The court heard that Fagan had been in the pub prior to the crash but claims to have drunk only one pint of beer, saying he was distracted by his “worse for wear” passenger.
Judge John Hillen said: “It’s not known how much you had drunk and it may well be that it was your passenger who was worse for wear and you were taking him home.
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“One might have expected any decent normal human being to have stopped at this point [after the crash]. Whatever your reason, you in fact did not do so.
Fagan’s BMW was also confiscated and he was banned from driving for 34 months.
The story emerged when Mr Dey released shocking footage of the hit and run, which happened at around 6.45pm on Easter Sunday in Swain’s Lane in north London.
Mr Dey, 22, suffered multiple injuries including fractures to his nose, ligament damage in his knee, a bleed on the brain, a fractured toe and bruising to his left leg.
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After leaving hospital, Mr Dey reported the crime to police and was asked by officers to track down CCTV footage himself.
The Metropolitan Police released an appeal for information after the collision, which resulted in the arrest of Fagan in early May.
Fagan pleaded guilty to causing injury by dangerous driving and failing to stop after a road traffic accident.
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Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers. Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
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