John Boyle-Matcham hit Jamie Clarke with a BMW in Watford in August last year

 

 

John Boyle-Matcham, 23, steered his father's car into the path of Jamie Clarke's Gilera Runner 125 scooter in Watford last year sending him flying through the air.

 

 

 

Boyle-Matcham was jailed for 13 years for the August bank holiday Monday crash, which one person described as looking 'like a war movie' when Mr Clarke's legs appeared to be almost 'severed'.

 

Mr Clarke, now 21, spent two weeks in intensive care being treated for brain seizures and fractures before spending a total of two months at St George's Hospital in Tooting.

 

He walks with a crutch and has limited movement to his right forearm and ankle, and is now awaiting a final prognosis.

 

 

Boyle-Matcham was told that Mr Clarke was at some local shops. At just before 6pm that night he drove the black BMW into Mr Clarke's silver and grey scooter in North Approach Road.

 

Another driver, Deborah Graham, said: 'I said to myself f*** they are going to crash. The car just hit the moped driver straight bang on.

'I saw the moped and the driver fly in the air. It was slow motion and they landed on the grass verge.

'It looked like his legs had been severed. His trousers looked like they had been pulled down. A leg or both legs were not in a good position.

'I initially thought they had come away from his body. It was like a war movie. There was a lot of muscle and bone showing.'

 

 

 

Boyle-Matcham drove off and abandoned the car. At 8.11pm that evening he dialled 999 and told the police that the bike had pulled out at him and he had panicked.

During the trial, Mr Clarke said he recognised Boyle-Matcham's car as it came towards him. 

He said: 'All of a sudden it swerved into my lane and came towards me. There was not much I could do. It hit me. It was all a blur from there.'

Boyle-Matcham told the jury: 'I wanted to scare him. It was a split second foolish thing to do, maybe with the intent to make him fall off at worst or slam his brakes on, but I never intended to hit him.'

 

He added: 'I just feel so sorry for Jamie for what I have put him through, for what I have put his family through, for what I have put my family through.

 

'It's probably the worst mistake I have ever made in my life and I'm just sorry.'  

Judge Marie Catterson told Boyle-Matcham: 'There had been antagonism dating back a number of years when you and Mr Clarke went out in succession with the same girl - it should have been a matter of no importance.'

 

Boyle-Matcham, from St Albans Road, Watford, was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. He had pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of causing grievous bodily harm. He also admitted failing to stop at the scene of an accident.