Drunk Driver Jailed For Injuring Paralympian

A farmer who left a Paralympic cycling champion for dead in a hit-and-run accident has been jailed for 18 months.

Edward Adams, 60, was two-and-a-half times over the drink drive limit when he hit gold medallist Simon Richardson on the A48 near Bridgend, Wales, in August 2011.

Mr Richardson, who was awarded an MBE in 2009, won two gold medals and one silver at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics and was training for London 2012 when he was struck by Adams' transit van.

The 44-year-old was thrown 26m in the impact, and suffered a collapsed lung, perforated bowel, spinal fractures and a broken pelvis, destroying his hopes of competing at 2012.

Judge Daniel Williams said Adams, from Cowbridge, had shown limited empathy for his victim and none of the courage and dignity displayed by the athlete.

He said: "You first got into the car at 8.45am that morning and when you were breathalysed just after midday you were more than twice the legal drink drive limit.

"Mr Richardson was clearly visible - cycling close to the kerb and wearing bright clothing. Your claims that you were affected by sneezing and sunlight were wholly untrue.

"Your reaction to the accident and its aftermath could not be in greater contrast with the man that you had left injured. You took the opportunity to leave the scene - knowing you had caused the accident."

During the trial at Newport Crown Court, it was revealed Adams had tried to hide his van from police, that he had lied to them about the timings of the crash, and that he had been drinking since 6am on the day of the accident.

Adams admitted drink driving and failing to stop but denied driving dangerously. However, the jury found him guilty on August 9.

Mr Richardson, who was first disabled when another car hit him whilst he was on a bicycle in 2001, said of the jail term: "We were lucky to get 18 months."

He told Sky News: "When we went to court it was only actually careless driving because there was no precedent set for dangerous driving.

"We've changed the law slightly to make it easier for other people to get a sentence - so the 18 months is actually quite good for what he (Adams) did at the time.

"I would have been happy, even if he had walked away, as long as we had changed it to dangerous driving rather than careless driving."

In September, Mr Richardson will undergo a complicated operation to his spine that will take up to a year to recover from.

But after that he has set his sights on next Paralympics in Rio in 2016.

"I've done it before and I know I can do it again," he said.