A SIMONBURN man has been jailed for 16 months after crashing head-on into another vehicle while attempting a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre.

Ronald Jewitt (43) left two other motorists with serious and life-changing injuries when he ignored solid white lines and poor driving conditions on the Military Road near Haltwhistle.

Newcastle Crown Court heard last Tuesday that Jewitt had been travelling east in his white Citroen Berlingo van when he overtook a taxi, despite the lines in the centre of the carriageway indicating it was illegal to do so.

He crashed head-on into Wayne Todd’s red Ford Escort van, before also hitting the taxi driven by Terence Sainty (69), after a dip in the road and dark rainy conditions meant he didn’t see the oncoming vehicle.

The court heard Mr Sainty and Mr Todd were left with serious injuries, with Mr Todd (42) having to be cut free from his vehicle by the fire brigade and airlifted to hospital.

Jewitt, of Standard Hill, Simonburn, was jailed after admitting two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He was also banned from driving for three years and must take an extended test before he can get behind the wheel again.

Prosecuting, Paul Rowland, told the court that Mr Todd suffered a shattered right leg and hip, a cracked pelvis, fractures to both knees, a cracked shoulder blade, multiple fractures in his left foot and a compound fracture to his right fibula and tibia.

Mr Sainty also suffered a cut to the head, which required 28 staples, and needed stitches in one of his hands.

The accident happened on the B6318, near to the Cawfield crossroads, at just before 6pm on December 10 last year.

Simon Gilmore, another driver, came across the crash scene and ran to ring for help from a nearby farm.

The court heard Mr Sainty had suffered permanent scarring and has stopped driving, forcing him to quit his job as a taxi driver.

Mr Todd has been left relying on crutches and in need of a hip replacement.

Defending Jewitt, who himself suffered a fractured hip and vertebrae in the crash, Jeff Taylor said the defendant was extremely remorseful and had suffered a lapse of concentration before the accident.

He spoke of Jewitt’s wish to meet the victims to apologise in person.

When passing sentence, Judge Paul Sloan QC, said Jewitt ought to have known there was a “very grave risk of a collision occurring”.

He added that the “highly dangerous manoeuvre” had left two victims to suffer the consequences of the collision for the rest of their lives.