Lorry driver refused to stop after hitting depot worker

A Leicester lorry driver hit a man while driving away from a depot after being accused of incorrectly unloading his vehicle. Paul Sharpe had denied being responsible for the collision at the distribution centre in Kent.

Sharpe, of Nursery Close in Thurmaston, near Leicester, had driven to the distribution centre in August 2023 when the incident unfolded. Prosecutor Vishal Patel told Leicester Magistrates' Court on Monday (November 11): "He was unloading his lorry as part of his job. An employee noticed the defendant was doing it incorrectly and informed him of this. The defendant became erratic and hurried into his lorry."

Mr Patel said that 57-year-old Sharpe drove off, ignoring the other man, and as he pulled out of the site he collided with a second employee. The first employee shouted at Sharpe again to let him know he'd hit someone but Sharpe just drove off.

READ MORE: XL Bully attacked two people and pet dog after pushing way into family's home

Court was told that the injured man suffered pain to his neck and shoulder and anxiety following the collision. After his arrest, Sharpe denied causing the collision and pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault by beating. But he was found guilty in a trial held at Medway Magistrates' Court in Kent.

Sean Conway, representing Sharpe, who had one previous conviction for an unrelated offence in 2005, said: "You have before your a lightly-convicted man. I'm aware of some mental health problems he's been suffering with recently. They have cumulated of late."

Mr Conway said his client no longer worked and urged the magistrates to give Sharpe a fine or a conditional discharge. However, the magistrates decided to give Sharpe a community order with unpaid work instead.

Sharpe will have to do 150 hours of unpaid work as part of 12-month order. He will also have to pay £100 compensation to the man he hit and a £114 victim surcharge.