A pensioner who ploughed into a cyclist as he overtook him on a blind bend has been banned from driving and ordered to pay his victim compensation.

Anthony Chester, 67, left biker Anthony Clarke with serious injuries after crashing into him while attempting to pass a large group of cyclists on a country road in the Scottish Borders.

Chester was forced to swerve and strike Mr Clarke to avoid colliding with a car coming in the opposite direction on the A6088 Hawick to Carter Bar road in 2019.

On Friday, Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told the keen cyclist has been forced to give up the sport due to the impact the crash has had on him.

Chester stood trial on indictment at the city court last month after denying a charge of causing serious injury to Mr Clarke by driving dangerously on June 20, 2019.

The OAP, of North Shields, Tyne and Wear, was found guilty by a jury’s majority verdict following a three day trial and he returned to the dock for sentencing on Friday.

Solicitor Ross Dow told the court his client has had a clean driving licence for close to 50 years, has no previous convictions and he now “accepts culpability” for causing the injuries to Mr Clarke.

In sentencing, Sheriff Daniel Kelly said: “This is a serious charge of which you have been convicted of by a jury. It is causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

“I recollect that the cyclist Anthony Clarke said he has never really been able to cycle again and that he was a keen cyclist up until that point.

“So it has had a serious impact upon him along with the serious injuries he received.

“The roads in the Borders are tricky ones and you do have to take care as they are windy and are there a number of bends.”

Chester was ordered to pay Mr Clarke £1000 in compensation and was fined a further £1000.

He was also banned from driving for three years and told he must sit the extended driving test before being allowed back on the road.

Chester was found guilty of causing serious injury to Anthony Clarke by driving dangerously by attempting to overtake a group of cyclists on a corner where he did not have an adequate view of the oncoming traffic and was obliged to take evasive action to avoid a collision with a vehicle and collided with Mr Clarke’s bicycle on the A6088 Hawick to Carter Bar road on June 20, 2019.

https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/pensioner-who-ploughed-scottish-cyclist-22625678