Shocking moment BMW driver, 23, drives at moped rider head-on in spat over his girlfriend - as he is jailed for 13 years
- John Boyle-Matcham hit Jamie Clarke with a BMW in Watford in August last year
- Pair had bad blood because of an argument over ex-girlfriend many years ago
- Mr Clarke spent two weeks in intensive care and was lucky to not be paralysed
- Boyle-Matcham was jailed for 13 years at St Albans Crown Court on Thursday
An angry BMW driver swerved into the path of an oncoming moped rider leaving him with horrific injuries because of bad blood between the two over an ex-girlfriend.
John Boyle-Matcham, 23, steered his father's car into the path of Jamie Clarke's Gilera Runner 125 scooter in Watford last year sending him flying through the air.
Boyle-Matcham was jailed for 13 years for the August bank holiday Monday crash, which one person described as looking 'like a war movie' when Mr Clarke's legs appeared to be almost 'severed'.
Mr Clarke, now 21, spent two weeks in intensive care being treated for brain seizures and fractures before spending a total of two months at St George's Hospital in Tooting.
He walks with a crutch and has limited movement to his right forearm and ankle, and is now awaiting a final prognosis.
John Boyle-Matcham, 23, steered his father's BMW into the path of Jamie Clarke's Gilera Runner 125 scooter in Watford last year sending him flying through the air
Boyle-Matcham was jailed for 13 years for the August bank holiday Monday crash, which one person described as looking 'like a war movie' when Mr Clarke's legs appeared to be almost 'severed'
Prosecutor Sean Sullivan told St Albans Crown Court on Thursday that Jamie was lucky not to have been killed or paralysed.
Mr Clarke told the jury there had been 'bad feeling' between him and Boyle-Matcham.
He said: 'There was a little issue between us over a girl from many years ago. I was with a girl and we split up or were on the way to splitting up. He got in there and I told him to back off. Ever since then, we have stared each other out.'
He said that on the morning of August 28 last year he was riding his scooter when he saw Boyle-Matcham on a push bike on St Albans Road, Watford.
Share this article
He said Boyle-Matcham was quite angry and was waving his arms about. As he was wearing a helmet, he could not hear what he was saying.
Later Boyle-Matcham was told that Mr Clarke was at some local shops. At just before 6pm that night he drove the black BMW into Mr Clarke's silver and grey scooter in North Approach Road.
Another driver, Deborah Graham, said: 'I said to myself f*** they are going to crash. The car just hit the moped driver straight bang on.
'I saw the moped and the driver fly in the air. It was slow motion and they landed on the grass verge.
'It looked like his legs had been severed. His trousers looked like they had been pulled down. A leg or both legs were not in a good position.
'I initially thought they had come away from his body. It was like a war movie. There was a lot of muscle and bone showing.'
Mr Clarke was flown through the air and was lucky to not be killed or paralysed in the crash on August 28
Mr Clarke, now 21, spent two weeks in intensive care being treated for brain seizures and fractures before spending a total of two months at St George's Hospital in Tooting
Boyle-Matcham drove off and abandoned the car. At 8.11pm that evening he dialled 999 and told the police that the bike had pulled out at him and he had panicked.
During the trial, Mr Clarke said he recognised Boyle-Matcham's car as it came towards him.
He said: 'All of a sudden it swerved into my lane and came towards me. There was not much I could do. It hit me. It was all a blur from there.'
Boyle-Matcham told the jury: 'I wanted to scare him. It was a split second foolish thing to do, maybe with the intent to make him fall off at worst or slam his brakes on, but I never intended to hit him.'
He added: 'I just feel so sorry for Jamie for what I have put him through, for what I have put his family through, for what I have put my family through.
'It's probably the worst mistake I have ever made in my life and I'm just sorry.'
Judge Marie Catterson told Boyle-Matcham: 'There had been antagonism dating back a number of years when you and Mr Clarke went out in succession with the same girl - it should have been a matter of no importance.'
Boyle-Matcham, from St Albans Road, Watford, was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. He had pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of causing grievous bodily harm. He also admitted failing to stop at the scene of an accident.
Most watched News videos
- Moment passenger is thrown off Air Canada flight 'for no reason'
- New US missile systems being used in Ukraine for first time
- Distressing moment US swimmer faints in pool at world championships
- Wills and Kate visit unveiling of first official joint portrait
- PM shares brief awkward handshake with Prince Charles in Rwanda
- Thousands of migrants storm through EU's only land border in Africa
- RMT boss booed over 'Spanish practice' of rail maintenance operations
- Burning Russian military plane crashes during war supply flight
- Video allegedly shows Russian air defence missile malfunction
- Severely-injured 15-year-old 'subway surfer' is lifted off train
- Migrants from Africa run through streets of Spanish exclave Melilla
- Chilling video captures the moment Russian model predicts her death
