A man in his 70s has been sentenced and prosecuted by York Magistrate’s Court after he pleaded guilty to driving carelessly, resulting in a collision with a horse and rider.
Rob McGregor, 77, of Hambleton near Selby, struck the hind leg of the horse he was attempting to overtake in his Kia car on February 12, 2024, before driving away from the scene of the collision without stopping to assess the health of the horse or the rider, the court heard.
In a statement issued by North Yorkshire Police after the court’s verdict on Monday, November 2, McGregor was reportedly followed to his home following his involvement in the collision in Hambleton before the police were subsequently called to investigate.
Collision
The court heard that the rider had sustained whiplash as a result of the collision with the driver and that a vet had to attend to the affected horse leg injuries which reportedly incurred bills of more than £470.
Following the hearing, McGregor was prosecuted and sentenced for driving without due care and attention, and for failing to stop after a collision.
He received eight penalty points on his licence and was ordered to pay more than £2,200 in fines, court costs and victim surcharges.
After the hearing, police reminded motorists of the need to slow down and give plenty of room when passing horses, cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
PC Sam Potts, said: “A few seconds’ loss of concentration is all it takes to cause injuries that last a lifetime and even fatalities.
“Motorists need to remember the ‘ten and two’ rule when passing horses – allow two metres and limit your speed to 10mph.
“North Yorkshire is a rural county which is popular with horse riders, cyclists and has a lot of wildlife and livestock that can wonder into the path of traffic, so it’s always important to expect the unexpected.”
