A man has been sentenced to four years in prison following a collision that resulted in a grandfather-of-four becoming an amputee.
Callum Knott, aged 41, was involved in a series of accidents in Nottingham on September 28, 2025, crashing into three vehicles. His reckless driving led to a severe crash on Valley Road, Sherwood, where Stephen Kerry, aged 65, lost a limb and a mother and daughter sustained serious injuries. Mr. Kerry is still hospitalized over three months later.
Knott drove his van aggressively, causing a collision that forced a car with a mother and three 12-year-old girls into oncoming traffic, resulting in a head-on crash with Mr. Kerry’s vehicle. Nottinghamshire Police has released a custody photo of Knott, who fled the scene but turned himself in two days later.
Mr. Kerry, who was visiting his wife Karen in the hospital before her heart surgery, suffered fractures to his shoulder, thigh, and multiple ribs, along with significant chest injuries requiring immediate surgery. He was placed in a medically induced coma and spent weeks in the intensive care unit, according to Nottinghamshire Live.
Despite efforts, Mr. Kerry’s right leg, which was severely injured, did not recover, leading to an amputation above the knee three weeks after the accident.
On Tuesday, January 13, Mrs. Kerry courageously delivered her victim impact statement in Nottingham Crown Court. She expressed the devastating impact of the incident on their lives, highlighting the loss of their social life and the emotional strain caused by the accident.
Their son, Jason Kerry, also addressed the court, emphasizing the significant impact on their family and his father’s role as the primary caregiver for his mother.
Knott, residing without a fixed address, initially denied being the van driver but later pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including causing serious injury by dangerous driving and failure to report the accident. He also confessed to criminal damage and possession of a knife for slashing his ex-partner’s car tires earlier on the same day.
Rachel Botterill, a partner in the JMW catastrophic injury team representing Mr. Kerry, described the tragic consequences of the accident, emphasizing the drastic changes in the lives of multiple individuals affected by the incident. She highlighted the challenges Mr. Kerry now faces, including the need for specialized accommodation as an amputee wheelchair user.
The incident has deeply affected Mr. Kerry and his wife, forcing them to leave their family home of 36 years and adapt to entirely new and challenging circumstances.