A church-going couple were mown down and left with life-changing injuries by a drugged-up convicted sex offender, who was racing at 90mph in a 30mph zone.
Liam Fisher, 21, from Farnworth near Bolton, was high on cannabis when he lost control of his car while racing another vehicle.
He smashed into chartered accountant John O’Sullivan, 55, and his wife Geraldine, 50, who were strolling along the pavement after deciding to take a new route for their regular post-Sunday morning mass walk.
Miraculously the couple, from Stockport, survived the impact but suffered ‘life changing’ injuries with former primary school administration officer Mrs O’Sullivan sustaining a fractured skull which required a bolt to be inserted through her head.
Chartered accountant John O’Sullivan, 55, and his wife Geraldine, 50, were strolling along the pavement after deciding to take a new route for their regular post-Sunday morning mass walk
She remains in hospital in a serious condition three months on after the crash and doctors cannot determine her long term condition for another two years.
Her husband suffered multiple fractures and lost an eye lid after he needed 20 stitches to his face and can now only walk with the aid of crutches.
Police investigating the smash discovered Fisher, a convicted sex offender, had no valid driving licence at the time of the crash in July and had a previous conviction for careless driving.
Eyewitnesses claimed his Renault Clio had been racing a Vauxhall Vectra at speeds of up to 90mph in a 30mph zone in the moments before the impact.
The Vectra was seen fish tailing around the carriageway followed by the Clio which slewed on the wrong side of the road and careered through three red traffic lights. It hit a kerb and lost control before ploughing into Mr and Mrs O’Sullivan as they walked along the pavement.
An unmarked police car had tried to follow the two vehicles but lost them and came upon the horrific crash scene with Fisher and a passenger emerging from the wrecked Clio, shaken but unharmed.
When quizzed Fisher initially falsely blamed his passenger, a young man with learning difficulties, for driving the car. He later admitted being the driver with blood tests showing he was twice the drug drive limit.
At Minshull Street Crown Court, in Manchester, Fisher, wept as he was jailed for 40 months after he admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving without insurance and having no licence.
At Minshull Street Crown Court, in Manchester, Fisher, wept as he was jailed for 40 months after he admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving without insurance and having no licence
He was also banned from driving for five years.
Today, Mr O’Sullivan answered the door to his home on crutches and was too upset to comment on the incident.
But a member of the congregation at St Philip’s Catholic church in Offerton said: ‘What happened that morning to the O’Sullivans was an absolute tragedy for themselves and their family.
‘They are a lovely couple who attend the church regularly and are active members of the church community. They are known as creatures of habit when it comes to their Sundays but it’s just down to pure chance that they took the route they did instead of their usual walk.
‘They have constantly been in the thoughts and prayers and everyone at the church since they were injured.’
In court prosecutor Miss Shirlie Duckworth said: ‘Mr O’Sullivan described Sunday July 16 as starting like any other normal Sunday for him and his wife Geraldine.
‘They attended church, went home for breakfast and at 11am went out to enjoy a walk – but they happened to take a different route than the one they would usually take – and that took them into the path of Fisher’s car.
‘Mr O’Sullivan described seeing a Vauxhall Vectra driving past standing traffic then noticed the Clio being driven by Fisher. He said it came straight towards him and his wife but has no recollection of being hit by the car.
‘He just remembers seeing the Renault sign and the next thing he was able to recall was being in some bushes being assisted by members of the public. His wife was more injured than he was – but his injuries were still significant.
A member of the congregation at St Philip’s Catholic church in Offerton said: ‘What happened that morning to the O’Sullivans was an absolute tragedy for themselves and their family.
‘Another road user saw the black Vectra pass at speed, fish tailing onto the opposite carriageway. Then he saw the Clio following on the wrong side of the road, through red traffic lights and appeared to collide with a kerb.
‘He saw Mrs O’Sullivan and thought she must have come through the car window. The vehicle then came to a stop on it’s side. Another witness said it was clear the two cars were racing or chasing each other.
‘There was disregard by the defendant for the great danger being caused to others by jumping three red traffic lights, crossing on to the wrong side of the road and driving at speeds of up to 90mph. The only fact which shortened the driving was the collision itself.’
Mr O’Sullivan suffered a fractured left arm which needed metal pins and a broken tibia and he was in hospital for three weeks. He now has problems with mobility and sleeps downstairs at home. A family holiday he and his wife planned with their daughter had to be cancelled.
Pictured is John and Geraldine O’Sullivan
Mrs O’Sullivan was in intensive care for a week and was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, post traumatic amnesia and a CT scan showed a blood clot plus fractures to both arms. She remains under the care of a neurological consultant.
Fisher later claimed he had been chasing the driver of the Vectra as he had just assaulted his girlfriend.
In mitigation his lawyer, Jamie Hamilton, said: ‘In the aftermath he made the foolish decision of speaking about somebody else having been the driver but he has since then expressed genuine remorse.
‘He has always said ‘give me the sentence I deserve, the sentence I acknowledge and accept’. He didn’t set out that day to cause those injuries to those people.’
But Judge Bernadette Baxter told Fisher: ‘You showed a flagrant, deliberate and reckless disregard for the rules of the road. Mr and Mrs O’Sullivan, perfectly decent, ordinary people, were conducting their Sunday as they usually did, going to church and going for a walk but sadly for them they deviated from their usual route.
‘You caused them both dreadful, dreadful injuries yet knowing there were people gravely injured, you then lied about your role in this and sought to blame your passenger. That was a wicked thing to do.
‘This was a deliberate decision by you to ignore the rules of the road when it must have been obvious to you that there was a serious risk to other road users.’