Man who caused "devastating" crash by pulling handbrake of car travelling at speed jailed at Portsmouth court

Jake Sharpe, 28, caused a head-on collision while he was a passenger in the rear of a vehicle. He was travelling along the A259 near Bosham in a silver Vauxhall at 60mph when he was consumed with "inexplicable stupidity". He was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court on January 12.

The driver lost control after Sharpe pulled the handbrake and the vehicle swerved onto the oncoming carriageway at 2pm on November 25, 2022. They smashed into a silver Hyundai - leaving a front seat passenger with life-changing injuries. The driver of the Korean hatchback was also hurt, and the a passenger in the Vauxhall suffered serious and potentially life changing injuries. Both vehicles were within the speed limit and travelling between 50mph and 60mph.

Despite the suffering he caused, Sharpe gave no reason to police as to why he carried out the dangerous act. Sharpe, of Otway Road, Chichester - a member of the armed forces - admitted to two counts of causing grievous bodily harm, two counts of causing criminal damage to a motor vehicle, and one count of common assault. He was handed a 23 month jail term.

Speaking after the case, investigating officer PC Tom Van Der Wee of the Sussex Roads Policing Unit said: “Sharpe caused a devastating collision as a result of his inexplicable stupidity that day. He has shown no remorse or concern for those injured – a completely innocent elderly couple travelling in one vehicle and his two colleagues travelling in the vehicle he was in – one of which has had his career in the armed forces severely impacted due to the injury he sustained.

"This case demonstrates our determination to get justice for the victims in this difficult case."