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| Bristol: Man jailed for causing bus to crash into Bishopsworth house | Bristol: Man jailed for causing bus to crash into Bishopsworth house |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The bus crash caused extensive damage to the house | The bus crash caused extensive damage to the house |
| A driver who caused a collision that saw a double-decker bus hit a house has been jailed. | A driver who caused a collision that saw a double-decker bus hit a house has been jailed. |
| Laurence Salaou, 23, was at the wheel of the VW Golf that collided with the bus in Bristol, resulting in the driver losing control, on last December. | Laurence Salaou, 23, was at the wheel of the VW Golf that collided with the bus in Bristol, resulting in the driver losing control, on last December. |
| The collision pulled much of the brickwork off the front of the house on Highridge Road, Bishopsworth. | The collision pulled much of the brickwork off the front of the house on Highridge Road, Bishopsworth. |
| Salaou was jailed at Bristol Crown Court for 18 months on Thursday after admitting dangerous driving. | Salaou was jailed at Bristol Crown Court for 18 months on Thursday after admitting dangerous driving. |
| He previously admitted a charge of driving while disqualified at Bristol Magistrates' Court, while a charge of causing criminal damage totalling £300,000 was dropped. | He previously admitted a charge of driving while disqualified at Bristol Magistrates' Court, while a charge of causing criminal damage totalling £300,000 was dropped. |
| Fled on foot | Fled on foot |
| The sentencing hearing was told Salaou's Golf was seen speeding in a 20mph zone and going through a red light before colliding with the bus, which swerved into the house. | The sentencing hearing was told Salaou's Golf was seen speeding in a 20mph zone and going through a red light before colliding with the bus, which swerved into the house. |
| The bus driver also suffered a cut to his hand, while a small child onboard was thrown from her seat. | The bus driver also suffered a cut to his hand, while a small child onboard was thrown from her seat. |
| Salaou fled on foot but had left a large amount of cash in the vehicle, which he later returned to retrieve. | Salaou fled on foot but had left a large amount of cash in the vehicle, which he later returned to retrieve. |
| The court heard he had bought the vehicle just a week before the 15 December crash, and his blood was found on the airbag. | The court heard he had bought the vehicle just a week before the 15 December crash, and his blood was found on the airbag. |
| The house suffered £300,000 worth of damage | The house suffered £300,000 worth of damage |
| Speaking after the crash, homeowner Hayden Rich told BBC West he initially thought the collision was a gas explosion and we was grateful to be alive. | |
| He, his wife and their two dogs had been sitting in the living room when the bus hit, while his son was upstairs. | He, his wife and their two dogs had been sitting in the living room when the bus hit, while his son was upstairs. |
| In a victim impact statement read to the court, his wife Kay said the crash had left her "emotionally drained and anxious". | In a victim impact statement read to the court, his wife Kay said the crash had left her "emotionally drained and anxious". |
| The family has been forced to stay with friends, and she added she was not sure if she wanted to return to the property. | The family has been forced to stay with friends, and she added she was not sure if she wanted to return to the property. |
| "I believe the large rockery outside my house saved my life," she said. | "I believe the large rockery outside my house saved my life," she said. |
| "The large rocks diverted the bus to stop it directly impacting the part of house where I was sat at time." | "The large rocks diverted the bus to stop it directly impacting the part of house where I was sat at time." |
| 'Immature and naive' | 'Immature and naive' |
| Mark Linehan, defending, said Salaou has been diagnosed with ADHD and was isolated from his family at the time of the crash. | Mark Linehan, defending, said Salaou has been diagnosed with ADHD and was isolated from his family at the time of the crash. |
| A probation report found him to be "immature and naive". | A probation report found him to be "immature and naive". |
| Judge James Patrick said: "ADHD is not an excuse for driving as fast as you did and in the manner that you did. | Judge James Patrick said: "ADHD is not an excuse for driving as fast as you did and in the manner that you did. |
| "In my judgement this is a case where there is very high culpability and very high harm." | "In my judgement this is a case where there is very high culpability and very high harm." |
| He noted Salaou had a history of "persistently" driving while disqualified. | He noted Salaou had a history of "persistently" driving while disqualified. |
| "This is about as extreme an incident of dangerous driving as is possible to imagine and was aggravated by the fact you were disqualified," he added. | "This is about as extreme an incident of dangerous driving as is possible to imagine and was aggravated by the fact you were disqualified," he added. |
| Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk | Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk |