A LORRY driver has been ordered to pay a fine and had six points placed on his licence following an incident that left his friend with multiple fractures and five broken ribs.

Nathan Iain Bates, 24, had originally denied an offence of careless driving near Knighton on September 12, last year, but his scheduled trial date at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates’ Court did not go ahead on Wednesday, April 13, after he had changed his plea to guilty.

The court heard that the incident happened after Bates momentarily lost control of his Land Rover Discovery when a coffee cup fell off the dashboard, leading to him clipping a verge and rolling the vehicle a few times – the accident resulted in a passenger being thrown from the vehicle.

Prosecutor Stephen Davies said: “The defendant initially entered a not guilty plea, but changed his plea some weeks before the scheduled trial today.

“On September 12 the defendant drove a Land Rover Discovery on the A4113 between Knighton and Brampton Bryan. He was travelling from Knighton and when negotiating a slight right-hand bend, he lost control, clipped the verge, rolling a few times and throwing the front seat passenger out of the vehicle.

“The Land Rover came to a rest on its roof, while the passenger was left on the road.

“He told police he had spilt coffee and panicked, while his passenger had sustained serious injuries; he was taken to Stoke Mandeville Hospital where he suffered a fracture to his T1 vertebrae, a fractured pelvis and five broken ribs.”

Representing himself, Bates, of Farrington Lane, Knighton, said: “I should have known better than to put the coffee cup on the dashboard, it was my own stupidity and I did it without thinking of the consequences. I’m really sorry it came to this.”

Bates, who had a full clean licence, had also sent in a letter to the court previously, which said: “I am 99 per cent sure I was not drinking coffee at the time, it had toppled.

“My livelihood and future as a HGV driver will be heavily impacted by this case. I apologise for the offence and my offensive language on the day.”

In addition to placing six points on his licence, magistrates fined Bates £337. He must also pay £130 and a £34 surcharge.