Mother left paralysed and family 'devastated after 'idiotic' boy racer smashed into them in Shrewsbury

Kieran Piggott was jailed for three years and four months after causing the “devastating” crash in Whitchurch Road, Shrewsbury on November 11, 2023.

Shrewsbury Crown Court was told how Piggott, who had turned 18 less than a month before the collision, was “weaving impatiently” behind a car near a set of traffic lights with four friends in the BMW 1 Series before making the fateful manoeuvre.

The victims in the other car were a 19-year-old driver who had recently had open heart surgery, his grandfather in the front passenger seat, and his parents in the back seats.

The force of the crash sent their car into a spin, ending up facing the direction they came from.

Piggott fled the scene, telling pals in the car he was “showing off” in front of that they “need to get out of here”. He returned shortly after and was arrested by police.

The young victim driving the car which Piggott hit saw his grandfather clutching his chest in pain, while his mother’s head was slumped in the back.

“His mother came off worst,” said Philip Clemo, prosecuting. “She has been told it is unlikely she will walk again for the rest of her life.”

She sustained a serious head injury and had to be put into an induced coma for 10 days.

She also suffered a severed spinal cord, broken vertebrae, broken collarbone and head trauma.

Her husband suffered a fracture in his lower spine, and now finds himself reliant on a walking stick and unable to commit to doing anything for more than 30 minutes. He may lose his job as an HGV mechanic due to his hampered mobility.

The grandfather sustained three cracked ribs, a fractured sternum, bruising to his chest and aggravation to his pre-existing arthritis. He estimates he has paid £5,000 in fuel and parking costs to ferry family to and from hospital in Birmingham and Oswestry to see his daughter.

The young victim escaped the crash with cuts and bruises but significant mental trauma.

The couple who Piggott overtook before he smashed into the family said he was “revving” behind them at the Harlescott traffic lights and then “weaving impatiently” before he overtook.

Their car was also hit in the crash, with the woman driving suffering a bruised wrist.

Came down from Wrexham to Shrewsbury for a drive

The court was told that Piggott and friends came for a drive from Wrexham to Shrewsbury and that the car belonged to his friend, who had recently bought it despite not yet passing his test.

The owner of the car told police that Piggott claimed he had taken out a single day insurance policy to drive the car, of which no evidence was provided.

One of Piggott’s friends suffered a fractured eye socket.

After his arrest, Piggott was interviewed three times by police, exercising his right to silence on each occasion.

'It will stay with me for the rest of my life'

Harrowing impact statements from the family of victims were read out. The young victim said: “The night of the incident will stay with me for the rest of my life. I was starting to feel optimistic about my future after undergoing open heart surgery 12 weeks before.

“I saw my dad and granddad trapped and my mum being taken in an ambulance. All of us were taken to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. I spent hours in A&E. I continue to have nightmares.

“I’ve been anxious about getting back into vehicles. I suffer flashbacks when I get into a car. Due to where I live, I rely on a car. I’ve had to take time off work. I can’t begin to describe the impact. I just want our old life back.”

His father described the shocking “indignity” his wife has had to suffer due to her injuries. He said: “The incident has hit our family hard mentally, physically and financially. I can’t do more than 30 minutes of activity at a time. My father-in-law has been driving me to visit my wife at the hospital.

“My relationship with my wife is suffering due to not being able to see her as often as usual. I’m struggling to get my head round it. I used to love going for long walks. Our kids are making the best of a bad situation but we are not used to not being all together. My wife is a self-employed accountant and the main breadwinner for the family.”

The grandfather said: “The devastation it has caused is immense. Our world has been completely turned upside down. We’re emotionally, mentally and physically shattered. Financially it’s very hard.

“I often wake up thinking about the crash. I spent four days in hospital in immense pain. The crash brought our family closer because we have to rely on each other.”

The mother said she does not have any memory of the crash. She expressed regret that she has not been home to help her daughter with her GCSEs, and wants Piggott to apologise to her son.

Pleaded guilty

Piggott, of Chesnut Road, Bradley, Wrexham, pleaded guilty to three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He is now 19 and has no previous convictions.

Euros Jones, mitigating, said: “The defendant has been aware of the monumental impact this has had and wishes to apologise to all those involved. The remorse he shows is genuine. He said he would swap places with any of them if he could.”

Judge Peter Barrie told Piggott: “This was a terrible and tragic collision. It had the most catastrophic impact on the family, all because of a moment of idiotic stupidity. You were an inexperienced driver. You had four people as passengers in the car.

“There is evidence to show that you had been driving recklessly (before the crash). The way you behaved is typical of young and inexperienced drivers with friends in the car, trying to show off. I’ve read references to your good character and I accept your remorse is genuine.

“No sentence I pass is going to make things right (for the victims). You ignored the rules of the road and disregarded the risk to other road users.”

He jailed Piggott and banned him from driving for four years and eight months. After Piggott was taken down, the judge said: “I would like to express my sympathy to the family for this dreadful accident.”