Man downed nine pints before crushing woman with BMW - then went for a kebab
Watch the CCTV and body cam footage of Luke Geard on the night of the incident
A driver who had nine pints before "using his car as a weapon" when he ploughed into a woman has been jailed for 10 years.
Luke Geard was captured on CCTV downing nine pints before he got behind the wheel and crashed into a parked vehicle.
When a woman came out of her house to try to stop him from leaving, he looked directly at her before accelerating and driving into her. She was crushed against another vehicle.
The woman's injuries were so severe, she has since had to re-learn how to walk and says the crash "ruined her life".
After the crash, Geard drove to a kebab shop eight miles away where he was captured on CCTV ordering food.
When police later told him about his victim's condition, he told them he "didn't give a monkeys".
Geard was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent following a three-day trial at Exeter Crown Court. He previously pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle dangerously, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, assaulting an emergency worker, and failing to provide a specimen for analysis. He has now been jailed for 10 years.
On the day of the incident, Geard was captured on CCTV repeatedly ordering drinks or having drinks bought for him by friends at two pubs in Axminster.
After several alcoholic drinks, Geard drove his BMW X5 to get cigarettes from a local shop before returning to the pub to continue to drink.
He was shown to have consumed approximately nine pints of cider and lager during the five-hour drinking session.
At around 10pm, Geard had an argument with one of his friends before dropping her home on Sector Lane in Axminster.
He then proceeded to drive down the road aggressively, forcing an approaching car to reverse out of his way before he collided with a parked vehicle.
A woman came out of her house after hearing the crash to find Geard had crashed into a family member's car. When she tried to stop him from fleeing the scene, he put his foot down and drove straight into her.
The victim said that Geard looked directly at her before he accelerated.
She was left with life-changing injuries after sustaining multiple fractures to her pelvis, femur, two bones in her lower back, shoulder blade, shin, ankle, feet and seven ribs. She also suffered a punctured lung.
The victim needed emergency surgery to repair multiple broken bones and endured months of recovery in hospital, having to learn to walk again.
Geard fled the scene and drove towards a kebab shop about eight miles away in Seaton.
On the way, Geard was involved in another collision, hitting a vehicle on Boshill Hill in Seaton, and failing to stop.
After arriving at the kebab shop and ordering food, Geard returned to his vehicle and headed to his home address in Kilmington.
On his way home, a concerned road user alerted police to Geard’s dangerous driving and he was arrested a short time afterwards.
While in police custody, Geard was informed of the serious injuries the victim had sustained. Body-cam video taken from an officer’s recording device showed Geard’s lack of regard for the injuries.
In the video, he's heard saying "Oh f*** her if she don't walk again. I don't give a f***."
'It's the worst thing to ever happen to me'
In a statement, the victim said: “He’s ruined my life and there’s not much else to say.
"I just have no idea why he would drive into me. I just wanted him to stop because he hit my sons-in-law’s car. He was so angry.
"It’s been the worst thing to ever happen to me but I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has helped and supported me through this very difficult time; my family and friends, the hospital staff who looked after me for months on end, the paramedics, the physios who have helped get me back on my feet, my colleagues, and the police.
"Everyone has been so lovely to me through this process, and I am very grateful for all of the care and support I am still receiving.”
Speaking following the sentencing, Detective Inspector Guy Biggar said Mr Geard "used his vehicle as a weapon".
He added: "I’m pleased to see that the prosecution team were able to secure a conviction for causing grievous bodily harm with intent, in what is a particularly nasty, and unprovoked attack where Mr Geard used his vehicle as a weapon."