Court for TT team boss who crashed into parked cars and left scene

Clive Padgett fined £1300 after driving without due care

A TT team boss has been fined £1300 after crashing his van into two parked cars during practice week.

Clive Padgett, of Turnberry Avenue in Onchan, was sentenced at Douglas Courthouse today (13 June).

The 65-year-old pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention, and failing to report an accident, on 28 May.

The court heard he was driving his Mercedes Sprinter along Victoria Road in Douglas, at around 10pm, when he swerved across the road hitting a Nissan X-Trail and a Range Rover.

Both were damaged with the Range Rover described as being ‘undrivable’ as a result.

Police were called to the scene and found Padgett’s van parked up nearby; they traced the vehicle to the Milenco by Padgetts racing team and a staff member contacted him by phone.

Over loudspeaker, to the officers, Padgett admitted he’d dropped his phone whilst driving and had bent down to pick it up causing him to swerve; he also confirmed he’d since walked home.

He was arrested and in interview Padgett told officers he’d ‘panicked’ after crashing and couldn’t explain why he hadn’t reported the crash despite walking past Police Headquarters afterwards.

Padgett’s advocate told the court his client had experienced a ‘very busy day’ and was somewhat ‘overwhelmed’ by his workload adding trying to pick up the dropped phone was an ‘instant reaction’.

Adding that Padgett had left his own vehicle near the scene the advocate said: “His intention was to come back and deal with it the next morning.

“He would like to apologise to the owners of the two vehicles for any upset or inconvenience.”

 Urging Magistrates not to disqualify Padgett from driving the advocate added: “He’s learnt a salutary lesson. He is embarrassed and ashamed to be in court.”

Fining Padgett, and ordering him to pay prosecution costs of £125, magistrates told him: “You had a responsibility when you had the accident that night (to report).”

Endorsing his driving licence with seven penalty points they added: “Put it down as a blip and an expensive blip at that.”