A doctor training to become a consultant has been sentenced after a drink-driving incident left a taxi driver with serious injuries in a head-on collision.
The Night of the Crash
Nayer Youakim, a 37-year-old ear, nose and throat registrar, was more than double the legal alcohol limit when he drove onto the wrong side of Beach Road in North Shields. The crash occurred just before midnight on November 24, 2024.
Prosecutor Lucy Todd told Newcastle Crown Court that the taxi driver had just dropped off a passenger and was heading home when he was "dazed by headlights coming towards him" before the impact. The collision caused the taxi to spin across the road, while Youakim's vehicle mounted the pavement.
Legal Consequences and Sentencing
When police arrived, Youakim appeared dazed and under the influence. He initially claimed to officers that he was heading to the Coast Road when the other vehicle came into his path. However, subsequent tests revealed he had 72 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, with the legal limit being 35.
Youakim, of Lady Byron Lane, Solihull, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and drink driving. The taxi driver suffered a fractured shoulder and arm, a swollen hip, and suspected broken ribs. In a victim impact statement, he said he felt "very lucky to be alive" but faced a long recovery and was angered by the event.
Recorder Mark McKone KC, sentencing, noted Youakim's important work as a doctor performing surgery at hospitals in Carlisle, Whitehaven, and Penrith. He stated that immediate custody would likely result in Youakim being struck off by the General Medical Council (GMC) and would end his consultant training.
A Suspended Sentence and Remorse
Youakim was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years. He must also complete 250 hours of unpaid work, pay £150 in costs, and is banned from driving for two years. He will need to pass an extended driving test before his licence is returned.
In defence, Laura Miller said the incident was an "extraordinary lapse of judgement" and very much out of character for Youakim. She stated he felt genuine remorse and empathy and had sought help to understand why he drank and drove that night.
The judge concluded that Youakim's lack of previous convictions, his important role, and the harmful impact custody would have on his future patients justified the suspended sentence, expressing confidence he would not reoffend.
