Road safety advocates in Newport are expressing dismay at the lenient sentence handed down to Jordan Willetts, who was involved in a 'brutal' hit-and-run incident last November. On Thursday, Willetts, 27, pleaded guilty to charges including dangerous driving, operating an unlicensed vehicle, and failing to stop after colliding with pedestrian Sam Bevan on Fairoak Avenue.
The collision occurred when Willetts was travelling in the wrong direction down the avenue. Mr Bevan, a 33-year-old from the St Julian's area of Newport, was crossing the road at the time. He sustained severe concussion and facial cuts as a result of the impact, which left him unconscious for approximately five minutes.
Neighbours discovered Mr Bevan lying face down on the pavement and alerted emergency services. Despite the severity of his injuries, Mr Bevan has spoken publicly about the incident, stating that he was particularly upset by Willetts' decision to flee the scene without offering assistance. 'That's what's annoyed me, the disrespect and not being humane and checking up on someone,' he said in an interview with BBC Wales.
Willetts handed himself in to the police two days after the incident, which has raised questions about his level of remorse. When approached by the media following his guilty plea, Willetts stated that he was 'of course' sorry for his actions and implied that his decision to hand himself in demonstrated his contrition.
However, critics argue that a suspended sentence and disqualification from driving may not be sufficient deterrent for drivers who engage in similar behaviour. The case also highlights concerns about the modification of vehicles without proper licensing or safety checks, as police investigators discovered that Willetts' electric motorbike was originally a push bike that had been converted for use on public roads.