A banned driver who knocked over an elderly pedestrian…

A banned driver who knocked over an elderly pedestrian as he sped through a village in a stolen car has been put behind bars.

Bill Nicholson stole the Ford Fiesta from a driveway in Tuxford on 15 August 2023 and drove dangerously in a failed bid to evade police.

The vehicle was on the wrong side of the road and had mounted the pavement when it collided with the pensioner who was walking along Doncaster Road, Langold, near Worksop.

The victim was left lying in the road with life-threatening injuries as shoppers and shocked onlookers rushed to help.

Officers were on the scene quickly and carried out CPR and other life-saving actions.

Members of the public also assisted the police until paramedics arrived and other residents helped detain Nicholson before he was arrested.

The pensioner was airlifted to hospital where he underwent emergency surgery for injuries which included a fractured pelvis, two broken legs, a number of broken ribs and a bleed on the brain.

Nicholson remained silent throughout police interviews but detectives were able to build a case against him.

He eventually pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving while disqualified, theft of a motor vehicle and going equipped for theft.

Nicholson was also convicted of aggravated vehicle taking and fraudulent use of a registration plate in relation to an earlier incident on 23 June 2023.

He and a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, crashed a stolen Ford Kuga in Langold Country Park after police had been called to reports two people were attempting to steal another car.

A resident reported that the pair were on his driveway in Northumberland Avenue, Worksop, and ran away when he shouted at them.

Police quickly sighted the previously stolen Ford, which later crashed in the park.

When police searched the vehicle, which had been reported stolen three days earlier in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, they found a large knife.

Twenty-year-old Nicholson, of Chichester Walk, Carlton in Lindrick, Worksop, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday (8 December) where he was sentenced to a total of five years in a young offenders’ institution.

The 17-year-old boy was given a youth offender panel referral order for nine months after pleading guilty to aggravated vehicle taking and possession of a knife in a public place.

Detective Constable India Woodrow, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Members of the community in Langold and the wider Bassetlaw area were understandably appalled by what happened to this elderly man.

“He just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time as Nicholson sped dangerously through a residential area.

“I hope our robust response in charging Nicholson with these very serious offences and the outcome in court provides some reassurance that this sort of reckless and dangerous behaviour will not be tolerated.

“Nicholson stole this car and then drove dangerously when police attempted to halt his progress.

“This was a shocking display of driving by a man who showed little or no thought at all to the safety of others.

“It is only down to sheer luck that Nicholson was not in court facing a death by dangerous driving charge. The standard of his driving was also in stark contrast to the skill shown by the police drivers who followed him.

“Our officers are highly trained and constantly assess the risk to other road users and themselves.

“I would once again like to thank the members of the public who assisted officers at the scene. The efforts of officers and residents combined to help save the victim’s life.

“I am also pleased that Nicholson expressed remorse in court for the injuries he caused to the elderly victim and hope he continues to reflect on his offending.”