A “cowardly” drink and drug driver has been jailed for leaving a young mother with life-changing injuries in a head-on crash which he blamed on the victim.
Terry Colley, 46, was driving erratically on the A22 at Golden Cross when he sped up and crossed into the path of a car being driven by 29-year-old Sophie Oxley.
She was out buying Christmas presents but had to be cut out of her BMW car after a crash that left her with life-threatening injuries. She was placed in an induced coma.
Sussex Police said: “She was just 15 minutes from home when Colley crossed into the path of her car at speed.
“Colley was pulled unconscious from his burning Skoda by witnesses who no doubt saved his life. His dog, although rescued, sadly died.”
Tests indicated that Colley, of Swanwick Close, Wandsworth, London, had taken cocaine before the crash in November 2023. He also had 144 milligrams of alcohol in his blood. The legal limit is 80mg.
Sussex Police said: “Colley went on convince a lot of people that he was not to blame for the collision.”
He continued to deny any responsibility throughout the police investigation and pleaded not guilty at a hearing at Hove Crown Court in July last year.
He was due to go on trial for causing serious injury by dangerous driving at Lewes Crown Court last month when he changed his plea.
The next day (Wednesday 23 April), Judge Stephen Mooney jailed Colley at the same court and said that it was the worst case of dangerous driving that he had seen.
Judge Mooney also said that Colley’s guilty plea was not a sign of regret. “It was an act of self-preservation and self-pity. He’s not shown a shred of remorse.”
Sophie Oxley said: “Thinking back to before the crash, I remember being the happiest that I’ve ever been.
“I was in a good job, living with my partner and our 13-month-old baby boy in our own home.
“We had booked a family holiday. I was outgoing, confident and loving new experiences. My life was complete and I couldn’t ask for more.
“My journey was supposed to only take 15 minutes from my home to the shopping centre. That was until I saw a car travelling fast towards me.
“I didn’t have a chance to avoid it. The image of the driver’s face is imprinted in my mind and marks the moment my life changed forever.
“Initially, I wasn’t responding to treatment for a collapsed lung and, because of my extensive injuries, my partner and mum were told that there was a real chance I would die.
“I was put in an induced coma. I felt excruciating pain all over my body when I woke and, when I could speak, I just repeated to my family: ‘It wasn’t my fault.’
“I’ve had so many operations. I’ve had my spleen removed and pins were put in my arms, hands, legs, ankles. Another operation will hopefully address the severe pain in my leg.
“My family life has been shattered. I now suffer from PTSD. It’s traumatising that I can’t do any of the things I used to do with my little boy – and my partner has had to give up work to look after us, including our new baby girl.
“I cannot bring myself to drive and being a passenger fills me with absolute dread. I am constantly thinking something is going to happen.
“Our happiness has been taken away from us as a family, owing to this man’s negligence.”
After changing his plea to guilty on Tuesday 22 April, Colley was told that he would be sentenced the next day but he failed to turn up at the court.
Judge Mooney jailed Colley for four years in his absence and banned him from driving for six years and one month.
Shortly after the sentencing hearing, officers tracked Colley down and escorted him straight to court to start his sentence.
Detective Constable David Symonds said: “Colley was not the victim he claimed to be. He continued blaming Sophie for being on the wrong side of the road despite being shown CCTV evidence to the contrary.
“He cowardly hid behind his lie, convincing a lot of people that he was not to blame, until he pleaded guilty at the very last second at crown court.
“At last, the truth can be revealed that it wasn’t just a crash for her. Sophie can explain the severe impact this has had on her and her family. I hope she can now focus on recovering without this hanging over her.”
Colley was also jailed for two months, to be served consecutively, for a separate offence after he admitted breaching a non-molestation order this time last year.
He had been ordered to stay away from his former partner, Kyley McCormick, and has now been made the subject of a 15-year restraining order and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £228.
