Driving ban for motorist who injured Australian biker

A Maughold man who caused a crash on the Mountain Road that left a biker with serious injuries has been banned from driving and ordered to do community service.

Tobias Cowin had previously admitted causing serious bodily harm by driving without due care and attention.

At Douglas Courthouse this week a hearing was told he'd overtaken two vehicles on June 25th but hadn't spotted an oncoming biker from Australia.

The resulting crash left the motorcyclist in hospital with broken ribs, a fractured collarbone, a broken leg and a punctured lung.

Cowin's advocate told the court the biker had been travelling at high speed when the crash happened - adding none of the other drivers had seen the motorbike until it was too late.

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said people needed to be aware bikers often rode the route extremely fast - and noted the Coroner of Inquests had recently made a second appeal for government to impose a speed limit on the road.

But she told Cowin, who had no previous convictions, it was his responsibility to make sure the road was clear when he'd overtaken the other vehicles.

She ordered the 19-year-old to do 160 hours of community service, banned him from driving for 12 months and instructed him to pay £125 in prosecution costs.