A TEENAGER who admitted causing a crash which left a casualty with a broken sternum has avoided an immediate prison sentence.

Finley Branson, 19, of Cusop, was said to have ‘exhibited youth and a lack of experience’ when making an overtaking move on the B4348 at Vowchurch, which resulted in a three-car collision.

Michael Conry, prosecuting, said that a passenger in the oncoming car, Joanna Morris, closed her eyes before impact and thought she was going to die. She was taken to hospital after suffering a broken sternum, fractured collarbone and bruising.

The incident happened on September 10, 2016, at 1.30pm when Branson had been travelling in his Volkswagen Polo from Hay-on-Wye in the Hereford direction and had just left Peterchurch behind a Volkswagen Amarok driven by Ann Lansdale. She was driving about 45 miles per hour in a 60mph limit when the defendant came up behind her and began to overtake.

“Mrs Lansdale is very familiar with the road and says it is a place where it is possible to overtake but it has to be done immediately,” said Mr Conry.

“She described the opportunity to overtake her as far too late as his view to the road ahead was limited to 100 metres and that it simply wasn’t going to work. To her horror a silver Polo was coming in the opposite direction at speed.”

Mrs Lonsdale said that there simply was no time to react at all and it all happened within a split second.

“Ultimately all three vehicles collided with tremendous force,” she added.

“Only luck prevented a fatality that day as the driving was very dangerous.”

Branson’s car came to a halt in a hedgerow on the other side of the carriageway with extensive damage to the driver’s side, while the oncoming silver Polo suffered damage to its passenger side.

Branson got out of his vehicle and said: “I’m sorry it’s all my fault.”

The court heard that Branson was in a hurry as he was going to his girlfriend’s house for a meal.

The incident had left Ms Morris nervous at getting into a car and suffering night terrors.

Branson suffered minor injuries and was immediately remorseful.

Mark Thompson, mitigating, said that this incident took place a day before his 19th birthday.

“Clearly in his questions to police he wasn’t concerned about himself but how the victim was,” said Mr Thompson. “He is a young man who wanted to make a full apology to her. Despite this reckless manoeuvre he had a split second to get his car into the hedge so it was a glancing blow and not a full collision.

“Afterwards he tried to find out why he didn’t see the silver Polo coming the other way, he had his eyes tested as he was so concerned that he just didn’t see the car and couldn’t give you an explanation. It was out of character for an otherwise good driver.”

Recorder Allan Mainds concluded that Branson had thought about the overtake for too long before pulling out.

“It was the day before your birthday and you nearly brought about the death of somebody else,” he added.

“That day you exhibited youth and a lack of experience.”

Branson was handed a 12 months prison sentence suspended for two years and given a community order for two years including 150 hours of unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £540 costs and a £140 victim surcharge.

Branson was also disqualified from driving for three years and ordered to take an extended retest after that period.