A young dad was left with 'catastrophic' life-changing injuries when an angry driver deliberately ploughed into him as he went to visit his dad's grave.
Corey Bailey and Jordan Storey, who had earlier been involved in an altercation with Craig Timlin, were standing talking in the road in Wallsend when he accelerated into them. Corey suffered multiple serious injuries, including a brain injury which continues to have a devastating effect on his life.
A court heard he is unable to look after his daughters alone, can't work, was left living in a care home and the former talented boxer is now vulnerable and has a reduced life expectancy. Now Timlin has been jailed after he admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
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Newcastle Crown Court was told it was on November 12 2020 that Corey, who was visiting from Middlesbrough and Jordan were on their way to visit the grave of Corey's dad at Holy Cross, Wallsend. The court heard they had been drinking and were "messing about", play-fighting and shadow boxing as they walked on Timlin's street.
They visited a relatives house then went to Timlin's home and there was a brief altercation and it was claimed one of the men may have had a knife and damage was caused to the front door consistent with it being stabbed and police were called.
Shortly after this, Corey and Jordan were a few streets away, on North View, standing in the road. Emma Dowling, prosecuting, said: "They were standing talking to each other when a car came directly towards them, driven by Mr Timlin.
"It hit Mr Bailey from behind and Mr Storey in the side. The force propelled Mr Storey into some bushes and Mr Bailey onto the roof before he landed on the pavement.
"A man walking on the street in the other direction could see two men ahead of him. The car struck them without trying to slow down. He then saw the car leave the area at speed with a completely smashed windscreen."
When Timlin, who drove home despite being unable to see out of the windscreen, was arrested, he initially falsely said they had run at him and also added: "I ploughed into them out of anger as well. I wish I could turn back time."
The police investigation showed the Timlin's Peugeot was on the wrong side of the road when he hit the men and was subject to "harsh acceleration" in a low gear at the point of impact, which continued afterwards.
Corey, who is in his mid-20s, was left with life-changing injuries. He suffered fractures to his skull, vertebrae and ribs, had a punctured lung and was left with a "moderately severe" brain injury which has left him with a reduced life expectancy. The former scaffolder is now unable to work, struggles to walk and used to box to a high level but will never be able to do that again. Jordan was less seriously injured, suffering a fractured knee.
Corey's mum and aunt made victim impact statements on his behalf as he is unable to do so himself. Mum, Kendra Taylor, a nurse, said Corey's dad died when he was a child and is buried in Wallsend and, having finished a job on the day in question, he decided to meet Jordan and they were going to visit his dad's grave.
Kendra described her son's injuries as "catastrophic", adding: "He has the brain of a child and he can't be a real parent to his girls. He can't even take them to the park.
"I'm a nurse and a strong woman but I will never be the same after the accident. I don't sleep and I'm constantly anxious and have depression. Corey is so vulnerable I'm scared someone will physically hurt him or people will take advantage of him.
"He thinks he is okay but he will never be okay. I live in fear someone will hurt him because they don't understand him."
In remarks directed at Timlin, she added in her statement: "We have been robbed of the life we should have had. You are not a daft kid who doesn't know better.
"You have children and got to spend Christmas with them. All I thought of was you with your kids while I went to the hospital."
Corey's aunt Kelly added that they didn't know if he would survive the night after he was injured and his head was so swollen she didn't recognise him and had to identify him from his tattoos. She added: "His future with his children is uncertain as he can't be left alone with them.
"Before the accident he was full of energy and he was a talented boxer - he was strong, quick and fearless. He isn't any more. Other than being a father that's the worse thing the defendant couldv'e taken from him."
Timlin, 50, of Westmoreland Street, Wallsend, pleaded guilty to two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and dangerous driving after the collision. He was jailed for three years and four months and banned from driving for four years and five months.
Recorder Ben Nolan KC told him: "You claim you were not looking for them but it's difficult to accept that. You found them very quickly in the vicinity of your home and as you admitted to the police, you ploughed into them in anger.
"You deliberately drove into them, you accelerated hard. The results of your driving were very very serious."
Nicoleta Alistari, defending, said Timlin is "profoundly remorseful" and said he acted in a "moment of madness". She added: "He didn't deliberately swerve towards them but what is clear is that in the moment he should have braked, he accelerated." She said he had felt under attack during the initial incident at his front door and he has PTSD. Miss Alistari said he had gone to pick his son up and was not looking for the men.
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