A MAN has been jailed after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and failing to stop following an accident which could have cost a 60-year-old his life.

James Leach, 29, of Oak Road, Chelford, Cheshire, was sentenced at Caernarfon Crown Court last Friday and was jailed for 16 months following an incident on the A499 in early October.

Shortly after 5am on Friday, 5 October, a head-on collision occurred on the A499 at Llandwrog between the junction for Dinas Dinlle beach and Allt Goch, involving an orange-coloured Ford Ranger pickup – being driven by Leach – and a Volkswagen Caddy.

The driver of the Caddy, a 60-year-old local man, sustained serious injuries and was taken to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor by ambulance.

Leach (pictured) left the scene without checking on the welfare of the driver.

However, following extensive police enquiries, he was arrested later that day at a caravan park on the outskirts of Pwllheli.

Sgt Raymond Williams of North Wales Police’s Roads Policing Unit said: “Leach had no consideration for others as he drove dangerously that morning, which unfortunately resulted in a man being seriously injured. It is only by sheer luck that this wasn’t a fatal road traffic collision.

“He did not stay and wait for the emergency services and did not speak to the other driver or even make any attempt to check on his welfare, which was completely selfish and unacceptable.

“The road had to be closed for several hours while we carried out our initial investigation which inconvenienced many commuters that morning.

“I would like to thank the local community for their assistance, including those that stopped to assist at the scene.

“I would also like to thank colleagues from the local policing team who assisted with Leach’s arrest.

“I hope the sentence handed by the court will send out a very clear message that anyone convicted of such offences will be dealt with robustly.”