Man jailed after seriously injuring driver in collision near Thetford by falling asleep at the wheel

A man has been jailed after falling asleep at the wheel and seriously injuring another driver near Thetford.

Gabriel Ferreira, 20, of Lancaster Avenue, Watton, appeared at Norwich Crown Court on November 14, having pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving at an earlier hearing.

The court heard that Ferreira had been driving home from a night out in Norwich, at around 4.20am on Sunday, February 11, when he drove head on into a white Vauxhall Corsa on the A1075.

When officers arrived on scene, Ferreira said that an unknown man had been driving him home in his car, crashed and then fled.

The victim, a woman in her 40s, had to be removed from her vehicle by fire and ambulance services before being taken to hospital.

She suffered two broken legs and a fractured back.

During his first interview, Ferreira said he had met a man called Chris who offered to drive him home in his own car and had fallen asleep until he was awoken by the collision.

In his second interview, he stated ‘no comment’ to every question and on the third Ferreira made a full admission to being the driver at the time and falling asleep at the wheel.

In this interview, he admitted that he had experienced previous issues with sleep that his doctor was aware of. He had failed to inform the DVLA of these health issues. He also admitted to driving without insurance.

Ferreira was arrested and taken to Wymondham Police Investigation Centre for questioning. He was later charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving without insurance.

He has been jailed for one year. He was also disqualified from driving for two and a half years and told he must take an extended driving test before he can drive again.

Speaking after the sentencing, Sgt Ben Hawkins, said: “This case highlights the importance of drivers taking personal responsibility when driving vehicles on our roads. Whilst many see driving as a right, with it comes a responsibility for other road users.

“Anyone driving with the knowledge that they may have a medical condition needs to think very seriously before getting behind the wheel. In this case we have seen the devastation caused to an innocent road user, who could have lost her life, due to the selfish actions of another and we welcome the custodial sentence.’’