Hit and Run in Brighton
I was having a drink with friends on campus last night and the subject came up of a terrible hit-and-run incident in Kemptown on 14th July. I hadn’t heard about it until then. The location of this incident was Montague Place in Kemptown, which is due a couple of hundred yards from my flat . The police issued a video obtained from CCTV cameras and appealed for witnesses. Apparently this bore fruit and two people were arrested yesterday. Rumours are circulating that the car involved was stolen.
I’m including the horrific video here. The man who was hit suffered serious head injuries, but is apparently recovering well. He’s extremely lucky to have survived. If you watch the video I’m sure you will agree that he is very fortunate. Please be aware that this is extremely shocking to watch so don’t click it you’re squeamish. I’m showing it here because it’s a graphic illustration of what a speeding car can do to a human being. Cars frequently travel at ridiculous speeds around Kemptown. This is what can happen when people drive like maniacs.
If the persons arrested are guilty I hope they get very severe punishment.
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In the Dark 
January 27, 2016 at 9:46 am
So painful to watch and relieved to know that the man hit is on the mend. May justice be done.
January 27, 2016 at 11:14 am
I agree. Moreover, in the longer version of the footage released by the police it is quite clear that the car slows down after the impact and someone looks through the back window to see what had happened. The car then speeds off. The driver clearly knew he had hit a person and made a conscious decision to leave them for dead. This shows a callous disregard for human life.
There were pedestrian witnesses but they all seemed totally stunned by what they had seen. As I would have been.
January 27, 2016 at 1:17 pm
I saw this too. Horrifying to watch, though tempered by knowing the poor man lived. I hope he recovers, but it’s hard to imagine there won’t be permanent consequences from his injuries.
Assuming those arrested were guilty, I hope the persecution is successful. People who can are insane enough to drive at those speeds, and callous enough to not even stop and call an ambulance, desperately need removing from behind the wheel of a car.
January 27, 2016 at 3:49 pm
I’d have been uncomfortable had the person been identified, but they are not. I don’t see how this is persecution. It’s just a demonstration of the consequences of such behaviour.
January 27, 2016 at 3:51 pm
ps. According to this, the maximum sentence for causing serious injury by dangerous driving is five years in prison:
http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/p_to_r/road_traffic_offences_guidance_on_prosecuting_cases_of_bad_driving/#b1
January 27, 2016 at 4:51 pm
Which seems reasonable to me because there is no intention to harm anybody. What should be allowed is to bump the charge up to manslaughter in some circumstances. Such as this.
January 27, 2016 at 6:16 pm
Well, the injured party didn’t die so it can’t be manslaughter. There are also other charges, such as car theft, so any sentence associated with these may run consecutively, which would add time..
January 27, 2016 at 7:50 pm
Yes, consider my last sentence deleted. Maybe lex talionis?
January 27, 2016 at 7:59 pm
I think it was a Fiat actually.
January 28, 2016 at 11:18 am
Obviously I meant prosecution, Phillip!