RAF airman who injured 5 individuals in horror smash after he fell asleep on the wheel is spared jail
An RAF airman who fell asleep at the wheel and caused a three-car horror pile-up has been spared jail.
Corporal Gabriel Cousins was said to be tired after a night spent celebrating a promotion and watching an England football match when he got into his BMW and started to drive from a hotel in Newcastle-upon-Tyne to RAF Spadeadam in Cumbria on December 11 2022.
Newcastle Crown Court heard that as he travelled along the A69, about two miles east of Haydon Bridge in Northumberland, his BMW crossed into the opposite carriageway and hit two cars head-on.
The male driver of an Audi A3, the first car that was hit, suffered injuries including a fractured shoulder, arm and pelvis while his partner, who had been in the passenger seat, suffered a bleed on the brain and clot on her lung.
They were previously keen walkers but since their injuries now have mobility problems, the court heard.
Three people in a VW Up, the second car that was hit, suffered whiplash type injuries.
When he was spoken to by police at the scene shortly after 2.30pm, Cousins, 27, said: ‘When I woke up it had happened.’
He confessed how early in the journey he had started to ‘drift off’ and added: ‘I think it’s more likely I fell asleep than a medical issue.’
Cousins avoided jail when he was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court after the judge said his absence from the RAF could impact defence capabilities
Prosecuting, Kevin Wardlaw said: ‘He made the decision to continue driving when obviously fatigued and aware of that fatigue.’
Mr Wardlaw said there has been a ‘physical, psychological and financial impact’ on the victims.
Cousins, of RAF Leeming, Northallerton, North Yorks, admitted two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and three of causing bodily injury by wilful misconduct.
He was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years, with 300 hours unpaid work and a three-year road ban.
The court heard Cousins has been in the RAF for nine years and is said to be one of only four people in the country who can manage ‘above top secret’ communications systems in areas of conflict.
He also represents the RAF in their national basketball team and travels the world refereeing and competing.
Defending, Eddison Flint said his promotion prospects have been put on hold while the proceedings have been active.
The judge said Cousins poses a low risk of re-offending, low risk to the public generally and his absence from his role in the RAF could impact defence capabilities.
He also handed in references to Cousins’ positive character.
But sentencing him, Judge Tom Moran said this ‘could easily have been a care where we were dealing with multiple fatalities.’
‘In short, you momentarily fell asleep causing a catastrophic collision,’ he said.
‘Terrible consequences follow when driving while tired
‘Should this case attract any publicity, the only positive thing that can come of it is that the message has to go out loud and clear, whatever the distance of the journey, whatever the road, whatever the confidence of the driver being able to continue, they must not do so.
‘Many people will be familiar with the feeling of becoming tired when driving and perhaps the temptation to press on, maybe deploying strategies to try and stay awake.
‘It is a selfish and dangerous thing to do, it’s a gamble and if you lose risks seriously harming or killing yourself or other people.’
