A serious road incident near Chichester has resulted in a prison sentence for a car passenger. Jake Sharpe, a 28-year-old rear-seat passenger in a Vauxhall, dangerously pulled the handbrake while on the A259 near Bosham, where the speed limit is 60mph. This reckless action caused the driver to lose control, leading the car to veer into the opposite lane and collide head-on with a Hyundai.
The crash had devastating consequences. A passenger in the Hyundai sustained life-threatening injuries, and the Vauxhall’s passenger suffered severe, potentially life-altering harm. Additionally, the Hyundai’s driver was injured.
Sharpe, who resides on Otway Road in Chichester and serves in the armed forces, faced sentencing at Portsmouth Crown Court on January 12. He pleaded guilty to two counts of causing grievous bodily harm, two counts of criminal damage to vehicles, and one count of common assault. The court handed down a 23-month prison sentence.
This incident, which occurred around 2pm on November 25, 2022, involved both vehicles travelling at speeds between 50 and 60mph. Sharpe failed to provide any justification for his hazardous actions.
Speaking after the case, investigating officer PC Tom Van Der Wee of the Sussex Roads Policing Unit said: “Sharpe caused a devastating collision as a result of his inexplicable stupidity that day.”
“He has shown no remorse or concern for those injured – a completely innocent elderly couple travelling in one vehicle and his two colleagues travelling in the vehicle he was in – one of whom has had his career in the armed forces severely impacted due to the injury he sustained.
“This case demonstrates our determination to get justice for the victims in this difficult case.”
