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£850 fine for red light running cyclist who put man in coma for six days

Incident took place on pedestrian crossing near London Wall

A cyclist who put a man into a six-day coma after going through a red light on a pedestrian crossing has been fined £850 at Hammersmith magistrates’ court, reports the London Evening Standard. Reeve Allen pleaded guilty to cycling without due care and attention and causing serious injury.

Anthony Da Costa was knocked unconscious during rush hour on June 30, 2015, when Allen collided with him outside his work near London Wall.

A doctor who was buying a coffee nearby gave Da Costa CPR, but he then spent six days in a coma having suffered a bruised brain and a fractured skull and facial bones.

“In August the neurosurgeon warned that certain aspects of myself may never be the same and that if I had half the level of energy by December it would be equivalent to an Olympic achievement — that is why I believe my recovery was miraculous. At this stage the only obvious consequence is that I have lost my sense of smell completely and that also affects taste.”

Da Costa said it had been a slow road to recovery but added that he was ‘just happy to be alive’.

“I eventually, slowly started getting better, but was having serious headaches, like I was biting into ice-cream, but much more intense, like my head was going to explode,” he said.

He said that even just having a bath or a shower was ‘a chore. “It felt like I was a 90-year-old man. But I went from nothing to being able to walk again — I’m even going to the gym now.”

As well as the fine, Allen was ordered to pay costs of £150 and a victim surcharge of £85.

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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34 comments

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JorgeSilva replied to bendertherobot | 8 years ago
0 likes

bendertherobot wrote:

But, before you clamour for a righteous law change, consider whether what you are asking for has any parity. There is still no causing serious injury by careless driving offence. Drivers are still given suspended sentences for causing death by careless driving. 

There's probably a need to consider road sentencing as a whole. But let's not knee jerk because one idiot runs a red light.

 

That is exactly what it's wrong. The whole system should be reviewed. Everyone is getting lighter sentences than what they should really be getting...

How do you get suspended sentence for killing someone baffles me...

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PaulBox | 8 years ago
7 likes

I think the cyclist got off pretty lightly to be honest, hope the recovery continues.

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Dnnnnnn | 8 years ago
5 likes

He should have been jailed.

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jasecd | 8 years ago
9 likes

I have to say that I don't think that is an appropriate sentance. I think he should have seen some prison time given the injuries he has caused.

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