Drunk Yorkshire father jailed after he injured elderly couple in horror crash then daughter lied to cover for him

Craig Steward and his daughter Nicole were both charged with perverting the course of justice and appeared at York Crown Court today.

Mr Steward was driving a van along the A63 from Barlby to Brayton in March 2019 when he tried to overtake an elderly couple's car at a roundabout. He struck their vehicle, forcing it off the road and leaving them with spinal injuries.

He then hid the van at his daughter's house in Thorne, near Doncaster, after failing to stop at the scene.

He was charged with a number of offences including committing an act likely to pervert the course of justice, two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, driving otherwise than in accordance with a driving licence, having no insurance, aggravated taking of a conveyance, drink driving and failing to stop after a road traffic collision. He initially pleaded not guilty to all of the offences.

On appearing at York Crown Court this week, he finally admitted his guilt, pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice and two offences of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. The other offences remain on file.

Nicole Steward was charged with perverting the course of justice. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.

The incident happened at the Wishing Well roundabout with the A1041 in Selby, and involved a black Hyundai Tucson and a white Vauxhall Corsa van driven by Mr Steward.

As the Hyundai entered the roundabout, Steward tried to overtake it. The Corsa van struck the rear drivers’ side corner of the Hyundai, forcing it off the road and into a signpost on the traffic island at the top of the A1041, causing the occupants of the Hyundai, a husband and wife in their mid-70s, to sustain spinal injuries.

Steward drove off, making no attempt to stop, check on the welfare of the occupants of the Hyundai, or leave his details. He drove to his daughter's house where he parked the van.

The van was identified from information given by witnesses at the scene. Police officers attended Craig Steward’s address. He failed a screening breath test and was arrested.

When interviewed he denied any involvement in the collision and stated that his van must have been stolen.

The van was located the following day, still parked on his daughter’s drive. She provided a statement to police claiming that it had been there when she got up in the morning and did not know how it had got there or when. Her account was proved to be false, and she was arrested for perverting the course of justice. She subsequently pleaded guilty on her first appearance at court.

Police enquiries proved that Craig Steward had been in York, and he had been driving home to Thorne in the Corsa van. CCTV showed the van being driven with no damage minutes before the collision, and then minutes afterwards it was captured on CCTV with damage to the front.

Craig Steward was interviewed a second time and refused to answer any questions.

Traffic Constable Martin Hayes from North Yorkshire Police said: “Having crashed into the side of another vehicle on a roundabout, Craig Steward gave no thought to the people in the other car, in fact his only thought was for his own self-preservation, even involving his daughter to further his lie.

“He continued with his selfish attempt to look after only himself until the very end of this case, causing even more distress to the victims in their family.

“Perverting the course of justice in this way is a serious offence, so think twice before thinking you can get away with lying to the police - you can’t.”