Friday 20th March 2026

By Bridlington Gold Radio Editor

A young Bridlington driver has been jailed for two-and-a-half years after a dangerous overtaking manoeuvre in thick fog left a motorcyclist with catastrophic, life‑changing injuries.

Ethan Hunt, 20, was travelling on the A165 Hunmanby Road in Filey on 25 June 2024 when he attempted to overtake another vehicle despite visibility being just 20 metres. York Crown Court heard that the manoeuvre was “highly dangerous” given the conditions.

The motorcyclist, who had been riding below the speed limit, was struck and thrown from his bike before being “engulfed in flames”, prosecutors said. He suffered extensive burns and later had a leg amputated.

Judge Sean Morris, sentencing on Monday, said the case should serve as a warning to other young motorists.
“Cars are lethal weapons,” he told the court. “It was quite clear it was dangerous to overtake. The victim was immediately engulfed in flames, thrown into a ditch, his leg virtually severed. His life has been completely and utterly turned upside down.”

In a powerful victim impact statement, the motorcyclist described how the crash had “shattered” his life.
“My days are no longer my own,” he said. “My life is filled with medical and mental health appointments, physiotherapy, acupuncture and weekly visits from an occupational therapist.”

He said he had lost his independence, his hobbies and the simple joys that once defined his life.
“I now live every day as a prisoner in a life I didn’t ask for, a life as an amputee full of pain, limitations and constant reminders of what happened. I feel like a burden to my friends and family.”

Prosecutor Michele Stuart‑Lofthouse told the court the victim had effectively “died three times” in hospital before being revived by medical teams. His burns were described as “horrendous”, affecting both legs, his back, buttocks, hand, lips, tongue, nose and eyes.

Hunt, of Sewerby Road, Bridlington, had only been driving for a few months at the time of the crash. He stopped at the scene and later pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Defence barrister Susannah Proctor said Hunt was remorseful and had since developed depression and possible post‑traumatic stress disorder. She described him as a “courteous, reliable, hard‑working young man” who had been completing an apprenticeship.

Hunt will serve less than half of his 30‑month sentence in custody before being released on licence. He was also handed a 39‑month driving ban and must take an extended re‑test before being allowed back on the road.