A judge has fined a barrister £800 for causing serious injury by careless driving after he crashed his Mercedes, breaking a woman's pelvis. District Judge Jack McGarva stated that the cost of living for criminal barristers is "tough," a sentiment he reiterated after learning the defendant's earnings primarily came from taxpayer-funded legal aid.
Paul Humphries, 63, pulled out of the Thurnham Hall hotel and spa, where he had been staying with his wife, into the path of motorcyclist Zoe Heath. Ms. Heath was thrown from her motorcycle, sustaining a fractured pelvis and multiple bruises. She required a frame for six weeks and had to sleep sitting up due to back and leg pain. The accident also resulted in Ms. Heath being unable to work and subsequently losing her home. She was placed on statutory sick pay and later moved back in with her ex-husband to aid her recovery.
Humphries, an Oxford-educated barrister with 40 years of experience, admitted to causing serious injury by careless driving at Warrington Magistrates' Court. He was fined £800, ordered to pay £720 in costs, and banned from driving for one year. He had unsuccessfully argued for an exemption from the driving ban, citing his wife's illness and his own low reported weekly earnings of £400, despite driving a luxury Mercedes and staying at a hotel where rooms cost approximately £200 per night.
Humphries claimed he was staying at the hotel to purchase lamb from a nearby farm and that the crash occurred near "blind bends" which obscured his view. He stated he looked left before pulling out, as he was anticipating traffic from that direction due to a bend. He also noted the absence of traffic lights, mirrors, or road markings at the junction.
Prosecution counsel Darcie Clampitt countered that if the bend restricted visibility, it required greater caution, not less, and that the road layout did not absolve road users of their duty to ensure safety before entering the roadway. She acknowledged that Humphries did render aid to Ms. Heath immediately after the collision.
Dashcam footage from Ms. Heath's motorcycle captured her crying out in pain. A police officer at the scene reportedly suggested that the area was an accident blackspot. Humphries' defense stated that Ms. Heath would be adequately compensated through a civil claim and that his income was £39,000 last year, with his current relevant weekly wage at approximately £400, predominantly from legal aid work.
Ms. Heath provided a statement detailing the ongoing impact of her injuries, including difficulty with basic movements, fear of cars, and an eight-week delay before she could drive again. She expressed that she would not consider riding a motorcycle again and had been unable to participate in a local event celebrating the late Hairy Biker Dave Myers.
District Judge McGarva referenced the motorcyclist safety slogan "Think once, think twice, think bike" and acknowledged the junction's difficulty, stating it necessitated greater care. He described Humphries as a man of exemplary character and determined that a fine was sufficient punishment, noting that compensation was a matter for insurance and civil claims.