Man jailed for three years for causing accident which cost young boy his leg

A Hull man has today been jailed for three years after admitting to causing a collision which resulted in a nine-year-old boy losing his leg.

Talented gymnast and dancer Max Clark (pictured below) had been out with family and friends on Rosmead playing fields off Southcoates Lane to take pictures for a dance class assignment, when he was struck by a motorbike being driven along the footpath.
The rider, Jerome Cawkwell, 24, of Cambridge Grove, Hull, had been going at full speed. He was topless and he was not wearing a helmet. 
Cawkwell didn’t stop at the scene of the collision and was arrested by our officers at an address in Barwell Walk at 1.45pm, after leaving the bike at an another address.
He later admitted he had never held a licence and had never taken a CBT course to ride provisionally.

At his initial appearance before Hull Magistrates Court on May 27, he admitted charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, failing to stop at the scene of an accident, using a vehicle without insurance and using a vehicle not in efficient working order and was bailed to appear at today’s sentencing hearing at Hull Crown Court.
Speaking after today’s hearing, Chief Inspector Paul Butler said: “Firstly I want to praise Max and his family for their bravery and positivity.

“The injuries Max suffered – on what should have been a happy, carefree, family day out to meet friends – will affect him for the rest of his life.
“However, every officer who has spent time with him has remarked on what a happy, positive young man he is.
“He’s an inspiration and I know he has touched the hearts of all those who have worked on this case.
“I hope that today’s sentence will not only go some way to helping Max and his family to continue to rebuild their lives but also serve as warning to those who ride motorbikes in a dangerous or antisocial way of the potential consequences of their actions.

“Jerome Cawkwell has not only lost his freedom today but he also has to live with the knowledge that he has changed this little boy’s life forever.
“For those who choose to ignore this warning and continue to put themselves and others at risk, I have a simple message for you. We will not tolerate it and we will find you.
“As part of Operation Yellowfin we have already made scores of arrests and seized motorbikes and quad bikes being ridden illegally from across northern Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire.
“Our teams will be relentless in tracking you down, seizing your bikes and preventing you from causing harm to our communities.
“We have no intention of easing the pressure on those who choose to behave this way and by working together we can make a big difference.
“Many of the successes we have had as part of Operation Yellowfin have been in no small part down to information the public has provided and we would like to thank everyone who has and continues to support this initiative.

If you have information about those riding motorbikes in this way, or where they are being stored, please get in touch on our non-emergency 101 line or, if you’d rather not give your name, call  Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.”