A competitive cyclist is calling for tougher sentences on motorists after he was hit by a car driven by a man with no licence or insurance.

Ben Christian, 18, suffered serious injuries to his face and teeth when Garry Thomas Beaulieu crashed into him at the Braaid crossroads on August 1 last year.

On Tuesday Beaulieu, of Staarvey Road, Peel, was banned from driving for two years and sentenced to 200 hours’ community service.

On the day of the accident, Ben had decided to go for an early ride as he wanted to get as much training done as possible for his race at the end of the month.

’I left home at about 6.15am and the collision was at 6.30am,’ said Ben, who was a member of Isle of Man Junior Team Equiom at the time, but is now competing for the University of Manchester where he’s in his first year.

’What I remember is he pulled out in front of me at the crossroads. His car was quite big, a Nissan Navara 4x4, which took up the whole road.

’I was on the main road and the guy was travelling right to left from Foxdale to Chibbanagh. I was travelling from Braaid to St Mark’s. I thought he was going to stop at the give way signs but he didn’t.

’I had nowhere to go apart from the side of his car. I don’t remember anything after that.

’He must have dragged me to the side of the road because I don’t remember getting there.’

Ben, from Douglas, sustained serious injuries, including a fractured cheekbone and has since had surgery with eight stitches to his chin, two stitches to his lip, two root canals and physio to his knee.

’He has one more root canal to do as the tooth has died,’ said his mum, Helen.

She described the phone call from Ben straight after the accident as ’awful’.

’I heard the phone and I thought "oh god". He said: "Mum, someone’s knocked me off my bike". When we got there and we saw the state of him we immediately called the ambulance and police as well.

’I was dealing with Ben. He [Beaulieu] had just split my son’s face, so I couldn’t speak to him.’

When he appeared in court this week Beaulieu, aged 58, admitted causing serious bodily harm by driving without due care, having no driving licence or insurance.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes ordered him to pay £5,000 compensation to the cyclist, the maximum that can be awarded in the lower courts .

Defence advocate David Reynolds told the court that his client had no previous convictions and quoted a probation report which said that Beaulieu was ’gutted’ about his victim’s injuries.

A letter from Beaulieu’s wife was also handed in supporting the impact the incident had had on him.

Mr Reynolds said: ’He has never had a driving licence but has previously driven off-road.

’That was the reason he felt confident getting behind a wheel. On the date of the offence, he was due to go to work. He had organised to be picked up but out of frustration to get to a job, he got into his wife’s car without thought for others. It has been very costly, not only to the complainant, but to him and his family.’

The advocate went on to say that Beaulieu had tried to help at the scene.

Ben’s family have said they are ’disappointed’ it wasn’t a custodial sentence.

’It’s been a long and frustrating process. We’re relieved the court bit is over and there’s been some justice. For Ben, it’s still a long road ahead in terms of dental treatment,’ said Helen.

’We’re relieved because the injuries could have been a lot worse.’

To replace Ben’s racing bike it has cost the family £5,500 and it will cost £3,100 to cover dental work not on available on the NHS.

Ben also had to cancel his trip to Malta with his girlfriend and her family to celebrate her 18th birthday.

’This shouldn’t have happened because he [Beaulieu] shouldn’t have been on the roads,’ said Helen.

Ben added: ’If the government wants to make the roads safer for cyclists they should have considered a higher sentence and make a statement.

’I hear about a lot of accidents with cars and cyclists and hear about the outcome - it seems too light in the punishment.’

Since the incident Ben says his confidence has been knocked, affecting his performance.

nervous

’I’m still quite nervous out training, especially in Manchester. I’m quite scared going out there. Even driving my car, when I come to junctions and when a car comes to the junction, I’m on the brakes already in case anyone comes out.’

He added that as a cyclist he experiences a lot of drivers getting ’far too close’ to him and beeping at him when overtaking or in queues.

When asked what gets him out cycling despite this, he replied: ’The motivation to do well in races. If I didn’t do racing it’s the friends in the sport and to get out as it clears your head. It’s my hobby. I love the sport.’

His message to drivers is to ’stop and think about other road users that you could have an affect on’.

Both he and his younger brother have been given cameras for their bikes by their parents to provide evidence if an incident ever occurs again.

’I’m always worried about them when they are on the road here,’ said Helen.

She added: ’The thing that frustrates me is when you see all the comments on Facebook that get nastier and nastier about cyclists.

’They think cyclists are doing it to annoy them. It’s this guy’s passion. They should be embracing how they are getting out into the countryside and enjoying the island and the sport they compete in.

’That’s someone’s brother, father or daughter, whoever, on that bike. Give them a bit of room. If it slows you down by five minutes so be it rather than cause accidents.

’Same for horse riders. It’s about tolerance, so just be a bit more patient and tolerate each other.’

Mrs Hughes said while passing sentence: ’Cyclists are always considered to be vulnerable road users. As drivers we all need to take extra care.’