A "selfish" driver has been jailed for more than two years after a crash that left a motorcyclist unable to walk again. 

Daniel Westbrook, of Monks Eleigh, was sentenced to two years and eight months imprisonment at Ipswich Crown Court on February 6.

Emergency services were called to the crash just before 5.10pm on Wednesday, August 24, 2022, in Pond Hall Road in Hadleigh. 

Westbrook, 59, was driving a red Volkswagen Caddy van and was travelling towards Hadleigh town centre.

He told the court he had deviated from his usual route home along the A1071 as a result of a collision on that road.

According to witness statements Westbrook overtook three to four cars and two cyclists while approaching a right-hand bend. 

The rider of the motorcycle – a man who was aged 41 at the time of the collision – was travelling in the opposite direction towards Hintlesham. 

He was left with nowhere to go when faced with Westbrook’s van coming towards him on his side of the road. On impact, he was catapulted into the air and landed on his back.

A spokesman for Suffolk police said the motorcyclist immediately lost the feeling in his legs and was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital by air ambulance.

He spent several weeks in the critical care and high dependency units there, and remained in various hospitals and rehabilitation centres for the next 10 months.

He suffered a number of injuries, including fractures to his vertebrae, fractured ribs and collapsed lungs. His spinal cord injury is so severe that he will not regain any function in his legs and will be a wheelchair user for life.

Westbrook was arrested at the scene, having already made comments to other members of the public that he wanted to get home faster and that he drives too fast and is reckless.

Detective Constable Kelly Dale, of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “Daniel Westbrook’s completely selfish and dangerous actions on that day have had a devastating impact on the victim and his loved ones.

“He has changed forever the life of an active man who enjoyed participating in numerous activities and travelled extensively.

"He had only become engaged to his fiancée one month beforehand and in his own words ‘everything was ruined in a split second’ as a result of Westbrook’s mindless decision. The impact is not just a physical one, but has also had a psychological affect and financial ramifications with the loss of his job.

“I hope the sentence handed to Daniel Westbrook will allow him the time to reflect on his reckless actions, though it is nothing compared to the life-limiting sentence he has inflicted on the victim.

“To make such a dangerous driving manoeuvre on a winding country road is incomprehensible and all just because he wanted to get home a few minutes quicker.

"I hope this case demonstrates to other road users that taking risks such as this can have serious implications, destroy the lives of others and result in you going to prison.”

Alongside his jail sentence, Westbrook has been disqualified from driving for six years and four months and will be required to take an extended retest.