A Suffolk butcher whose car was involved in a head on collision with a motorcycle after he fell asleep at the wheel has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Leon Garnett’s Ford Fiesta was seen drifting across the road shortly before the collision with the motorcycle on Assington Road, Newton near Sudbury in August 2020, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

The motorcyclist had no time to react and was thrown into the air before landing on a grass verge in “excruciating” pain, said Matthew Bagnall, prosecuting.

As a result of the collision he suffered two fractures to his leg, including an open fracture where the bone was protruding through the wound.

He underwent surgery at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and had pins inserted in his leg to help the fractures heal.

The court heard that two years after the crash he still suffered pain in his leg after exercise and was undergoing physiotherapy.

Garnett, 47, of Danes Court, Sudbury, had denied causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was due to have had a trial at Ipswich Crown Court on Monday (July 4).

However, he changed his plea to guilty and was given a six month prison sentence suspended for two years, a ten day rehabilitation activity requirement and was ordered to do 120 hours unpaid work. He was also banned from driving for 15 months and ordered to pay £1,500 costs.

Sentencing him Recorder Jeremy Benson said: “As a result of sleep deprivation because you’d been working long hours you fell asleep at the wheel and as a result your vehicle veered into the oncoming lane.”

He said it was fortunate the motorcyclist hadn’t been killed and Garnett should have known that he wasn’t in a fit state to drive because of the long hours he’d been working.

The court heard that a motorist who was driving behind Garnett on the A134 at 6.20pm on August 7 2020 saw him drifting across the road and had pulled back to allow himself time to react if anything happened.

The motorist saw three motorcyclists coming towards them in a triangular formation and saw the Ford Fiesta veer across the road into their path.

The first motorcyclist swerved to the left and avoided a collision with the Ford Fiesta although his boot struck the side of the car.

The second rider had just looked behind him and when he turned back he saw the Ford Fiesta coming towards him and had no time to react.

Following the collision Garnett told police he believed he had fallen asleep at the wheel after working long shifts and getting little sleep.

The court heard that Garnett had ridden motorcycles himself and was mortified by what happened.