Young Driver Sentenced After Filming Himself Driving with Knees Prior to Crash

A young driver, who recorded himself operating a vehicle with his knees while passing other cars, has received a sentence after causing a collision that resulted in a woman becoming paralysed from the neck downwards. According to police, George Taylor, aged 19, was using his mobile phone “throughout his journey” to college when his vehicle collided with another on the A47 close to Norwich. The accident left the victim, a mother in her 40s, unable to speak or breathe without assistance. Previously, at Norwich Crown Court, Taylor, who resides in Pymoor, near Ely in Cambridgeshire, received a sentence of 26 months in a young offender institution. He had previously pleaded guilty to causing serious injury through dangerous driving. The victim’s father, in a statement released via Norfolk Police, described the preceding 22 months as “traumatic”. “I’ll never forget that day when we were told she had been in an accident, and then arriving at the hospital to be facing the reality that we may lose her,” he stated. He added, “As her dad, all I wanted to do was make everything better for her.” “While I can’t change anything, I hope that by speaking out I can make others aware of what can happen on the roads.” “Catherine’s life was changed in a split second…My focus now is to help Catherine and her son as much as I can to make their lives as comfortable as possible.” Evidence presented at Norwich Crown Court detailed that on the morning of 18 January 2023, Taylor, then 17 years old, had utilized his mobile phone to place two calls, dispatch one text message, and capture five videos while operating his vehicle. These recordings depicted him driving at high speeds and passing other vehicles, with his knees controlling the steering wheel of his black Volkswagen Golf. Approximately at 11:00 GMT, he did not observe a Skoda Fabia that was waiting to make a right turn ahead of him, resulting in a collision with the rear of that vehicle in East Tuddenham. Catherine experienced a cardiac arrest and received emergency first aid from an off-duty paramedic. She was transported to the hospital and now necessitates lifelong care. Taylor had obtained his driving license less than 12 weeks prior to the incident. Sgt Callum Walchester commented: “George Taylor made multiple decisions to use his mobile phone that day and in doing so put himself and everyone else at significant risk. It was Catherine who has paid the price.” Additionally, Taylor received a 40-month driving disqualification and was mandated to undergo an extended driving test. For updates on Norfolk news, follow BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.