A British man who seriously injured a student while driving on the wrong side of the road has escaped with a temporary driving ban, a fine and a suspended sentence.
He was driving at double the speed limit, five times over the legal limit for alcohol and positive for cannabis.
“French law cannot withdraw a foreign driving licence”, noted the examining magistrate.
The accident happened in Cahors (Lot) when the man in his 50s, known only in court filings as Mr B., was returning from a party on May 28, 2023.
He had recently moved to the area and was driving on the left-hand side of the road as is the rule in the UK.
Driving his Volvo at 114km/h on a road limited at 50km/h Mr B. veered into the oncoming traffic in the left lane, crashing into the Fiat of the victim, a 20-year-old student identified as L.
Emergency services had to cut the seriously injured student out of her smashed vehicle that was stuck in a ditch before transporting her to hospital. She was found to have several broken bones and was left unable to work for three months.
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Mr B. suffered a broken wrist. He was found to have a blood alcohol level of 2.62g/l. The legal blood alcohol limit for driving in France is 0.5g/l. He also tested positive for cannabis.
An 8-month suspended sentence
At the sentencing hearing at Cahors criminal court on May 2, 2024, the examining magistrate, Ms Brigitte Lanfranchi, denounced the behaviour of Mr B. that had led to the accident, citing an accumulation of failings.
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However, she pointed out that under French law she could not withdraw a foreign driving licence.
Consequently, she was limited to requiring an 18-month French driving ban in addition to a €500 fine for driving without insurance, a €100 fine for losing control of his vehicle, and an eight-month suspended sentence.
Delivering the sentence, as reported by ActuLot, Ms Lanfranchi asked Mr B. if he had anything to add.
“I don’t recall the night in question very well,” he told the court. “It’s the biggest regret of my life and I think about it everyday. I can never make up for what I have done”
Speaking in his defence, Mr B.’s lawyer noted that fortunately the worst scenario had been avoided.
“He is completely ashamed,” said Mr B’s lawyer. “He added that he cannot excuse himself for the harm he has caused the victim”.
