It’s one of those stories you just couldn’t make up – a grandson managed to take out his grandfather’s car and crash it… only to return, take out his other car, and crash that too!
Chronicle Live reports that Dean Bates, 27, took out his grandfather’s Vauxhall Insignia after a family argument and crashed it into another vehicle – writing off the car and injuring the other driver in the process. From there, he returned and took his grandfather’s second car, a Ford Focus, without consent and went missing for three days. During his time away he managed to knock a policewoman off her motorbike, slightly injuring her, as he left the hotel he was staying at.
Though there was no serious damage to the vehicle in the second case, there was a significant cost to the repairs of the car in the first instance – estimated at around £4,500.
Now, Dean has spoken to his local newspaper in Gateshead to express his sorrow and apologise to his grandfather, Peter.
“I love my grandad but I did not know what I was thinking when I took the cars,” he said.
“It was just a one-off. I don’t know what I was thinking but I know I caused a lot of problems for him, the other driver and the policewoman.”
Markerstudy Group told
Insurance Business UK that it will investigate its options to recover costs from the source rather than Mr Bates himself.
“We empathise with the difficult position Mr Bates finds himself in,” said Rowena Stanyer, a spokeswoman for
Markerstudy Group.
“Unfortunately the claim has been declined due to the clear exclusions within the motor insurance policy held with ourselves, stating that loss of/or damage to the insured vehicle is not covered where it has been taken by someone who is not permitted to drive and/or is a relative/family member. Despite being in clear breach of the policy terms, it is clear that this incident was outside the policy holder’s control and was the direct result of his grandson’s reckless behaviour. We understand that criminal proceedings are being taken against the grandson and will investigate our options to recover costs from this source rather than from Mr Bates.”
Dean was charged with two counts of aggravated vehicle taking and causing injury, as well as two counts of using a motor vehicle without third-party insurance. He was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, but this has been suspended for 18 months.
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