A CHURCH organist and solicitor who fell asleep at the wheel on his way home from a service, causing a head-on collision that hospitalised an 87-year-old driver for weeks, has been sentenced to a suspended jail term.

Robert Wade, 75, an organist and choirmaster at Abergavenny’s St Teilo’s Church, appeared at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Friday, January 10, and admitted causing serious injury by careless driving, which left William Jones with spinal fractures and internal bleeding.

Wade, the former clerk to Llantilio Pertholey Community Council, denied the initial charge of serious injury by dangerous driving, but admitted the alternative careless driving charge.

The court heard the accident occurred about 1 pm on December 18, 2022, on the outskirts of Brecon.

Prosecutor Georgina Donohue told the court: “It was rainy and windy but driving conditions were good.

“The defendant was in the opposite lane when his vehicle swerved into the complainant’s lane and there was a collision.

“Mr Jones has no recollection of the incident, which was captured by another vehicle’s dash cam footage.

“Passers-by provided assistance and the defendant said he believed he’d fallen asleep.

“Mr Jones suffered fractures to his lower spine, as well as internal bleeding and a fractured rib. He was in hospital for just under three months."

The court was informed that since the incident Mr Jones had been diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea.

In a victim impact statement, read by Ms Donohue, Mr Jones was described before the accident as “independent, enjoyed gardening, driving his vintage tractor and supporting his 100-year-old sister”.

Ms Donohue added: “He was employed by Powys County Council for more than 30 years as a HGV driver and considers himself a safe driver.

“Life changed so much (that day) for him. He was driving on a road he used on a daily basis, and he was looking forward to Christmas.

“The next thing he remembers was waking up at hospital, in a very serious condition. He has been told he will always walk with a limp from now on.

“He was in terrible pain and spent nine weeks in hospital in Merthyr, as well as two weeks in hospital in Brecon."

Representing Wade, Jeffery Jones told the court his client had been of previous clean character and had been deeply impacted by the case.

“The defendant was told 15 months after the incident that he’d be going to court,” said Mr Jones.

“The wait until then and today would have caused both the complainant and the defendant a lot of anxiety and fears.

“He plays an active role in the church and the community. He is clerk to three community councils. He still works in his own capacity as a solicitor.”

Judge Jeremy Jenkins told Wade: "This is too serious to be dealt with by anything other than a custodial sentence, but I am prepared to suspend the sentence.”

Wade was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work and pay a court surcharge of £154, and is banned from driving for two years.