A social media influencer has been found guilty of causing serious injury by dangerous driving following an incident at a Bury St Edmunds multi-storey car park.
Jacob Joel-Paine, 23, of Poppy Road, Lutterworth, was convicted by a jury at Ipswich Crown Court after a short trial before His Honour Judge Kelly. The offence relates to events on the evening of February 28, 2024, when Joel-Paine was 21.
The court heard the victim, a security guard working for Abbey Security, had gone to the top floor of the Parkway car park after reports of a vehicle being driven at speed.
When he arrived, he encountered Joel-Paine and another driver who had been filming their cars for a social media post.
Jurors were told Joel-Paine had removed the number plates from his red Volkswagen Polo before driving to the upper level of the car park.
The incident that followed was captured on CCTV.
The security guard, wearing a hi-vis jacket, approached Joel-Paine’s vehicle and requested his registration details.
The court heard Joel-Paine refused and asked the guard to move out of the way while edging the car forward.
A witness described how the guard stood in front of the bonnet as Joel-Paine manoeuvred the vehicle.
Moments later, a “thud” was heard as the car struck the guard, breaking his lower leg. He later required surgery to insert a metal plate.
In his police interview, Joel-Paine claimed he felt threatened by the guard and suggested the man had thrown himself onto the bonnet.
The jury returned a guilty verdict on the charge of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Source – Bury Mercury