Wheelie cyclist who caused tandem crash ordered to pay compensation

A teenage cyclist has been ordered to pay compensation for causing a crash in which a tandem stoker sustained serious injuries.

The Edinburgh Evening News reports that Luke Horne, 16, was pulling a wheelie and riding through a red light at a pedestrian crossing in Gullane, East Lothian when the crash took place on June 14, 2014.

After riding through the crossing, Horne unexpectedly turned right, causing the tandem, piloted by Chris Laughton, 50 to hit his rear wheel.

Laughton and his stoker, 54-year-old Dr Kay Boulton, both fell to the road.

Dr Boulton's head hit the pavement. She suffered a fractured skull and hip and loss of hearing, and subsequently spent two days in a high dependency unit and a total of two weeks in hospital. The court heard that she now suffers a lack of short term memory which may never be regained.

Mr Laughton suffered only minor injuries.

Passers-by rushed to the couple's aid and Horne also stopped and rendered assistance.

Horne pleaded guilty to riding a bicycle dangerously at an earlier hearing.

Sheriff Thomas Welsh QC told Horne his cycling that day had “extremely serious consequences” for Dr Boulton, a researcher at the University of Edinburgh's Roslin Institute.

Sheriff Welsh said: “Your cycling that day fell far below the standard of that of a competent cyclist.

“The consequences of your dangerous cycling were extremely serious for Kay Boulton.

“However, you have accepted your responsibility and have pled guilty at an early stage and I have to take into account you are only 16.

“I also take into account this type of dangerous conduct is out of character for you.”

Sheriff Welsh ordered Horne, from Gullane, to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work and told him he must pay £500 in compensation.