Over the limit driver jailed for knocking over pedestrian
A motorcyclist was this afternoon convicted of knocking down a man on a pedestrian crossing while over the drink-driving limit, and jailed for 15 months.Ashley Redmond, 41, caused Sylvan Dill, 47, a double fracture to his right leg and a facial fracture in the collision at the junction of Reid and King Streets in Hamilton around 10pm on May 11, 2010.Redmond, from Smith's, was knocked unconscious in the collision and his bike skidded more than 30 metres along the road.Mr Dill, who sobbed as he gave evidence in the case yesterday, is still recovering from the injuries he suffered.Redmond was found guilty by a jury this afternoon of causing grievous bodily harm by driving over the legal alcohol limit. He was cleared of driving while impaired.Redmond had 122 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of his blood in a test conducted three and a half hours after the crash, meaning he was more than one and a half times the legal limit of 80 milligrams.The mandatory minimum sentence for the offence is a year in jail.Jailing Redmond, Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves said: "As I have said in previous cases of this kind, it can hardly be said that any individual in this society is unaware of the campaign against drinking and driving."The images are vivid and the sentences are certain, especially in cases where as a result, innocent victims suffer bodily harm."Mr Dill, a father of seven, said as he left court: "Justice has been served, I'm quite satisfied with what he's got."