Woman wakes from coma after partner refused to switch off life support after horror smash caused by boy racer
A MOPED driver “catapulted” into the air by a boy racer miraculously woke from her coma after boyfriend refused to switch off her life support.
Linda Atkinson is only alive because her partner and family rejected the advice of doctors following the horror smash caused by Steven Briddon.
Linda, 49, suffered devastating injuries and was wheel chair bound after landing on the windshield of Briddon’s souped up sports car.
But her partner Billy Brolly, 49, refused to have the life support machine turned off even “when it seemed hopeless”.
In a victim statement read to the court, her Mr Brolly, 49, of York, said he “knew we were right not to turn off the machine”.
He said: “That day changed our lives. I remember sitting crying outside the treatment room.
“A doctor put his hand on my shoulder and said ‘Don’t worry. Miracles happen’. I felt my heart break.”
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Linda had to be put into a coma and he kept a bedside vigil for seven months.
Mr Brolly added: “I sat holding Linda’s hand with tears streaming down my face hoping she would pull out of it.
“I was told it would be best to take her off the ventilator and let her die.
“That broke my heart over again. I didn’t want Linda to go like this. We all made the decision not to turn the machine off.
“We just wanted her to live. The consultants tried eight times to bring her out of the coma. I felt she would never come around.”
But then against all the odds, Linda started to improve and was transferred to a rehab unit.
He said: “She would sometimes open her eyes and smile at me. It was then I knew we were right not to turn off the machine.”
Briddon, 28, was sent to prison for 32 months for causing injury by dangerous driving – and will only serve half that before being released on licence.
Campaigners have called for changes in the law after the judge said there were no sentencing guidelines for the offence.
Briddon ploughed into Linda as she sat on her moped waiting for the lights to change, York Crown Court was told.
Rather than get out and help, Briddon whipped out his mobile phone and called a pal he was due to meet to say he would not be able to make it.
He had earlier overtaken three taxis, travelling at “breakneck speed” of up to 60mph like a “boy racer” and was an “accident waiting to happen”, the judge said.
Ms Atkinson suffered devastating brain injuries and was placed on a life support machine at Leeds General Infirmary where she hovered between life and death for months.
Linda had now returned home to York but had suffered life changing injuries and was wheel chair bound, needing constant care.
Mr Brolly had given up work to look after her.
Judge Paul Batty said: “This is about as bad a case as you can imagine that left Linda Atkinson at Death’s Door.
“She only just survived and suffered life threatening and life changing injuries."
Briddon, from York, admitted causing injury by dangerous driving.
In a letter to the court, he said: “I know saying sorry for this incident will never be enough.
“I can only hope at some point I can apologise in person and give assurances there was no intent or malice in any of this.”
Campaigns adviser for Brake, the road safety charity, Alice Bailey said: "It’s hard to see how this can be justice when the driver will be back out in a matter of months while Linda and her family live with the devastating consequences of the crash he caused for the rest of their lives."
Mr Brolly said: “We were warned that one of the problems with this type of offence is the driver never gets what they deserve. We were surprised he got anything to be honest.”
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