Teen E-bike Rider Sentenced to 18 Months for Injuring Child

A teenage e-bike rider has been sentenced to 18 months in custody after seriously injuring a seven-year-old boy when he ran a red light at high speed. Callean Wyburn, 18, was 17 at the time of the incident on June 10 of last year in Christchurch, Dorset.

Wyburn and two friends were observed riding dangerously on electric motorcycles as they approached a pelican crossing. A witness reported seeing them weaving through traffic and on the wrong side of the road, expressing concern that they might cause a fatality. The group disregarded the red light, and Wyburn collided with the young boy, who was on a scooter and crossing the road with his mother.

The child sustained severe facial injuries, including a lost tooth and a fractured jaw. His mother described him as screaming loudly and bleeding heavily following the collision. Wyburn, who had not stopped at the red light, initially refused to remove his helmet and provided a false name before fleeing the scene on his unregistered e-bike. Members of the public attempted to pursue him, but he escaped. He surrendered to the police the following day.

At Bournemouth Crown Court, Wyburn pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, as well as driving without a license or insurance. His conduct was characterized in court as "completely reckless, stupid, unthinking and immature."

Judge Brian Forster stated that the incident was a "tragedy for everyone involved" and that the offense warranted an immediate custodial sentence.

The court heard that the boy and his mother were walking to pick up his brother when the crash occurred. Prosecuting, Jade Phillipou detailed how the defendant was seen driving at speed, on the wrong side of the road, failing to slow down, and ignoring the red light. The collision knocked the child to the ground, resulting in a bloody face and distress for both the child and his mother. The defendant came to an involuntary stop after hitting a stationary vehicle. Members of the public surrounded him, but he gave a false name and left the scene without checking on the boy's welfare.

The boy suffered a large, permanent scar on his cheek, lost a tooth, and another was pushed into his gum, causing a fracture to his upper jaw. His medical treatment is ongoing, and the damaged teeth have fused to his jaw, meaning they will not grow with him.

The boy's mother shared in a victim impact statement that the incident has had a "profound and lasting impact on our family." She expressed guilt for telling her son it was safe to cross and noted that simple everyday activities have become a source of fear for him. The knowledge that the injuries were "completely avoidable" is difficult to accept, and she finds it agonizing that her son faces further pain due to an incident that should never have happened.

Wyburn had no prior convictions and was reportedly doing well in college despite a difficult background that included time in the care system and a lack of role models. His defense counsel argued that he panicked after the accident and had since shown remorse. The defense suggested that a prison sentence could increase his risk of reoffending due to negative influences.

Wyburn received an 18-month sentence in a young offenders' institution and was disqualified from driving for two years, requiring an extended retest upon his release. The judge commended the members of the public who assisted at the scene.