Thrapston hit and run victims' lives turned upside down as reckless driver jailed

A 25-year-old man who drove into a group of friends who were walking to see Christmas lights has been jailed for the hit and run in a Thrapston street.

Karl Robinson, 25, previously of Woodford, has been sent to prison for two years and nine months after injuring three women in his car before fleeing the Sackville Street scene.

He had recklessly driven his black Vauxhall Corsa onto the wrong side of the road in Thrapston, mounting the kerb and running over a number of pedestrians who were out as part of a walking group.At about 4pm on December 16, 2020, three women, aged 69, 70 and 73, were rushed to hospital with serious injuries including bleeds to the brain and broken bones. Aside from their physical injuries however, the mental trauma they experienced was huge.

One of the victims said: “Having got to the age of 69-years-old without having any health issues this accident has turned my life upside down.

“After being widowed for three years I was getting my life back on track and it has now been taken away from me again.”

Another lady wrote in her victim impact statement: “After losing my husband to cancer nearly four years ago, walking and socialising with my friends has become extremely important for both my physical and mental wellbeing but tragically on this day, my life was turned upside down with everlasting consequences.”

The third said: “When I walked out of my home on that Wednesday afternoon, I was a completely independent lady who was active and had a good social life.

"Five months on, I cannot walk without the support of a walking stick, I am still not able to drive my car and have to depend on others for assistance in many tasks. All of the above has left me feeling like a burden and I get quite upset that I still need this amount of support.”

Incredibly, instead of staying at the scene, Karl Robinson chose to drive away, leaving all three on the floor without even checking on their welfare. A short time later, his partner noticed damage to their car and made him hand himself in.

Lead Investigator, Detective Constable Bruce Wilson from Northamptonshire Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “Many people will feel angry reading the words of the three women in this case who had their lives turned upside down as a result of Karl Robinson’s reckless and dangerous behaviour.

“I truly hope he feels ashamed at the thought of this incident and at the fact that he tried to escape justice by driving away instead of facing the consequences of his actions.

“The three women in this case have shown true bravery in supporting our investigation from the very beginning.

"They are a brilliant and stoic trio and I hope they can now rebuild their lives and find their way back to the independence they so enjoyed and trips out with their friends.”

At Northampton Crown Court this week, he was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison. He was also disqualified from driving for four years and four months.