A teacher who was rushing to school early in the morning knocked a moped rider off his bike before crashing into a road sign, in a serious incident that led to a legal appeal. Demi Lewis, 28, was driving at around 7am to her first lesson of the day when she rammed into the 'clearly visible' moped, causing the rider significant injuries and her car to veer off the road and smash through a sign.
Dashcam Footage Reveals Collision Details
Video from her own dashcam captures Lewis driving straight into the moped as she joins the dual carriageway, pushing the driver Peter Riley off his bike and into the path of oncoming traffic in the other lane. After the collision in December 2024, Lewis loses control of her car and ends up driving onto the carriageway's grass verge, where she continues to ram into a sign directing drivers to the city of Chester.
Severe Injuries Sustained by Moped Rider
Mr Riley suffered bleeds on both sides of his brain, three broken ribs, a broken nose, and a fracture to the bottom of his spine from the crash on the A55 dual carriageway in Broughton, Wales. Prosecutor Joseph Lees told the court that Mr Riley 'had a hi-vis jacket which was illuminated by Ms Lewis's car,' emphasizing the visibility of the rider.
Initial Sentencing and Successful Appeal
In August, Lewis was handed a 16-week suspended sentence and a 12-month driving ban at Mold Crown Court in Mold, Wales. However, she successfully appealed the sentence and has now been handed a £287 fine. Judge Simon Mills noted that Lewis was of 'previous exemplary character' when granting the appeal.
Legal Arguments and Court Statements
Barrister Darren Finnegan, who was defending Lewis, argued that Mr Riley was 'travelling significantly slower than the ambient traffic' and that Lewis 'inadvertently, inexplicably did not see him.' Prosecutor Lees countered, stating, '[Mr Riley] may have been travelling slower but that is something she should have taken into account when joining. It's her duty to make way for him, not the other way around.'
When granting Lewis's appeal, Judge Mills said, 'The court makes it absolutely clear that if it accepts Mr Riley did suffer a very serious injury; nobody must suggest this court found anything else. This is the sort of offence that an ordinary, decent, honest citizen - as this appellant is - can find themselves facing justice for.'
