Dangerous driver jailed after Northampton crash left ‘bright’ young woman, 25, severely disabled for life

A Northampton man has been sent to prison for two years after his dangerous driving left a 25-year-old woman with significant disabilities for the rest of her life.

The collision took place on June 10, 2022 at around 4.30pm when a Vauxhall Mokka failed to merge lanes when exiting the Mere Way roundabout onto Towcester Road.

The Vauxhall driver, despite being in a narrowing filter lane, matched his speed with a van driver in the left lane and pulled level with him in an attempt to overtake him.

This brought him on the opposite side of the 40mph carriageway, causing him to just miss a collision with another vehicle travelling towards the roundabout.

Meanwhile, 25-year-old Kirri Anne Hossain–Reed was midway through crossing Towcester Road on an electric e-scooter when the Vauxhall driver struck her whilst travelling on the wrong side of the road.

This caused the victim to be projected through the air before landing onto the carriageway. Kirri suffered a major head trauma and injuries paramedics described as “unsurvivable.” She was airlifted to the University Hospital in Coventry.

Kirri now resides at a rehabilitation centre in Leamington Spa - she is paralysed, she cannot communicate, she shows no signs of recognition when shown photographs of family members and she requires oral morphine for her pain every day.

The Vauxhall driver - Mark Unwin, aged 62, of Kenmuir Crescent - appeared at Northampton Crown Court on Friday, March 10 after pleading guilty to causing a serious injury by dangerous driving.

Kirri’s mother, Deborah McCann, said her “whole world fell apart” when she heard about the collision and she lived her “worst nightmare.”

Deborah said: “She was a very independent young lady and now she cannot do anything herself. I know my bright and lovely girl is in there somewhere but it is hard to see who she has now become.”

Kirri is described as an “ambitious” young woman, who had a job she enjoyed and an employer who believed in her. She wanted to design children’s clothing - a dream that is now unlikely to happen.

Kirri’s older sister, Kiah, was heavily pregnant at the time of the collision and the stress forced her to go into early labour at 36 weeks. Kirri, who was supposed to be her birth partner, was not only her sister but her best friend.

“This has broken our family in ways no-one will ever know,” Kiah said.

Sinjin Bulbring, prosecuting, said that - when interviewed by police - Unwin claimed the van driver undercut him when he was overtaking and forced him into the wrong side of the road.

He said that, as he took his foot off the accelerator to drop back, Kirri appeared from the left side, and he did not have time to brake so tried unsuccessfully to serve to the right to avoid the victim.

Unwin has four previous convictions including driving without due care and attention and failing to stop after a collision in 2010.

Andrew Nuttall, in mitigation, said Unwin knows what it is to care for someone after suffering a life changing condition and would not wish that on anyone. Unwin fully accepts his responsibility for the injuries suffered by Kirri, the court heard.

Unwin is described as someone who has spent a great portion of his life helping other people - working for charities for years and being a full time carer for his wife who suffered a stroke.

Mr Nuttall said: “It is not surprising to hear his remorse is true.”

The court heard that the collision has affected Unwin hugely and he had to seek assistance from the Mind mental health charity.

Unwin was sentenced to two years in prison and disqualified from driving for six years.