On 14 November 2019, Mitchell Rose was sentenced to 12 years in prison following his conviction for causing Grievous Bodily Harm with intent against Amazon delivery driver, Chance Bright.
Mr Bright, now aged 23, was left paralysed from the waist down after being hit by a scrap metal van being driven by Mr Rose on 4 March 2019. He was dragged underneath the van for approximately 90 metres along Paradise Lane in Slade Heath, Wolverhampton.
Mr Bright was delivering a parcel when he turned around to see his van being stolen. He tried to ask Mr Rose for help to get his van back, but was mown down by him instead. Brian Atkinson later pleaded guilty to the theft of the van. Mr Rose and Mr Atkinson knew each other.
In addition to his life-changing spinal injury, Mr Bright suffered severe road rash and gravel burns as a result of being dragged along the tarmac; including a wound on his left shoulder which was down to the bone, and a 1-2 inch diameter hole near his coccyx.
Mr Bright commented:
“The trial has been an exceptionally difficult time for me and my family, and following the sentencing today, we now hope to be able to put this chapter behind us and move forwards.
I am still in the early stages of my rehabilitation and recovery, and that is very much going to be my focus now.
On that day my life changed forever. It will never be the same again, but I take every day as it comes now, and I try to stay positive for the future.”
Charlotte Foster, Associate at Stewarts, the law firm acting for Mr Bright, commented:
“Chance has done extremely well with his rehabilitation so far and, despite everything that he has been through, he still has a really positive outlook. Now that the criminal proceedings are over, we can focus on pressing ahead with his civil case, to ensure that Chance’s future needs are met and he can live his life to the full.”
Click here to watch the interview Chance gave to Staffordshire Police
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