A driver who seriously injured a motorcyclist after knocking him off his bike carried on driving, dragging the motorbike underneath his truck, a court has heard.

Aiden Cullen, 26, had not seen the motorcyclist coming as he pulled out of a junction at Elm High Road, Emneth.

Norwich Crown Court heard that Cullen, who was driving a Toyota Hilux, “knocked the rider off” as he pulled out of the junction.

Andrew Oliver, prosecuting, said Cullen looked in his mirror but “made off from the scene” with the “bike under the truck”.

The court heard the motorbike under the truck was producing sparks in the road.

Mr Oliver said that Cullen, who showed “reckless behaviour”, then drove to a nearby orchard where he had tried to hide his vehicle.

The victim suffered a number of injuries, including a fracture to his ankle, a ligament tear, an injury to a medial cruciate ligament.

A statement described how the victim was still using crutches and had been in a wheelchair following the crash which happened on June 6 last year.

Mr Oliver said Cullen was to tell police he was not aware he had hit a motorcyclist.

He said he was “extremely fearful” and “panicked”.

Cullen, of Chapnall Road, Wisbech, appeared at court for sentence on Monday having previously admitted dangerous driving, driving without due care and attention and driving without insurance.

Claire Howell, mitigating, said her client had been “reckless” but insisted the dangerous driving lasted only for “about a minute”.

Ms Howell said Cullen had sobbed when he discovered the injuries suffered by the victim.

She said he lost one of his sisters in 2019 following a family tragedy and had dealt with it in the “wrong way”.

Judge Andrew Shaw said the motorcyclist had suffered “life-changing” injuries as a result of the crash caused by the defendant’s “reckless and careless driving”.

He sentenced Cullen to eight month’s imprisonment, suspended for two years. Cullen was also given 150 hours of unpaid work for the community, ordered to do 20 days rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) as well as 30 days thinking skills programme.

Cullen was also disqualified from driving for three years.