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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 |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Laurence Salaou has been jailed for causing a bus to crash into a Bristol house | |
| Laurence Salaou has been jailed for causing a bus to crash into a Bristol 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. |
| Salaou has been jailed for 18 months | |
| 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 damage totalling £300,000 | |
| 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. | 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. |
| "There was a loud bang and then an almighty crash," he said. | |
| 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". |
| Mr Rich said he and his wife were lucky to be alive | |
| 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." |
| A probation report found Salaou to be "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. |
| Insp Steve Davey of Avon and Somerset Police said the force was pleased with Salaou's sentence. | |
| "It's very lucky nobody was seriously hurt on the bus or in the house," he said. | |
| "I'm hoping that the family involved, whilst there is still probably another 12 months until they can get back in their house, will receive some form of closure as part of this." | |
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