Crash victim upset by Christie case
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| Crash victim upset by Christie case |
The 100m gold medallist at the 1992 Barcelona Games was disqualified for 15 months and fined £5,000 after being found guilty of careless driving. He was cleared of the more serious charge of dangerous driving, which he had denied, after a two-day trial at Aylesbury Crown Court in Buckinghamshire.
Christie, who was also ordered to pay £1,000 prosecution costs, crashed into the taxi carrying a newlywed couple in the late-night collision.
The 51-year-old, of Sherland Road, Twickenham, west London, told the court he thought he was going to die following the accident but he managed to clamber out of the window of his badly-damaged Audi A8.
The court heard that the taxi was propelled on to a grass verge while the dark-coloured Audi - with a personalised number plate 100 RUN - came to a halt in the middle of the A413 in Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire, on May 8 last year.
Newly-married Peter Ashton, 58, had to be dragged from the vehicle, which was taking him to the Bull Hotel in nearby Gerrards Cross, along with new wife Claire Lloyd-Ashton, 43, and her uncle Michael Burt, 61.
Thames Valley Police said the bride suffered bruising to her chest and knees, while her husband was in hospital for four days after suffering a punctured lung and four broken ribs. Mr Burt was in hospital for two months, including six days in intensive care in an enforced coma.
Following the end of the court case, Mr Burt said: "I'm very disappointed at the outcome. I have to live with the serious injuries that Christie caused. I suffered multiple fractures and damage to my face, which were so severe that I now have several metal plates holding my skull together."
Claire Lloyd-Ashton said: "Whilst we have many happy memories of the wedding day, it has been tainted by the accident and our wedding night was completely ruined. Instead of spending the first night of our married lives at a nearby hotel where champagne and roses were waiting for us, we spent it in A&E."
Irwin Mitchell Solicitors, who represent Mr Burt along with the bride and groom, have confirmed that separate civil claims against Christie are ongoing.
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