Sheffield schoolboy battling for recovery after drink driver leaves him with broken arms, leg, ribs and pelvis

A schoolboy was left with broken arms, fractured ribs, a broken leg and a shattered pelvis after a drink driver careered into his grandma's car.
Jack MarshallJack Marshall
Jack Marshall

Jack Marshall, aged 11, had to be put into an induced coma by doctors and remains in a wheelchair as he battles to make a full recovery.

Drink driver Scott Ford, aged 31, was fleeing an accident he had been involved in when he crashed into a car being driven by Jack's grandmother, Susan Sykes.

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The 61-year-old was pulling into her driveway in Nethershire Lane, Shiregreen, Sheffield, last June when Ford's car hit her vehicle.

Jack, who was a passenger in his grandmother's car, was so badly injured, medics placed him in an induced coma and the youngster remains in a wheelchair as he fights to make a full recovery.

Ford, of Shirehall Road, Shiregreen, was arrested by South Yorkshire Police and found to have been over the limit at the time of the crash.

Ford admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving, drink driving, careless driving and failing to stop and report a collision when he appeared at Sheffield Crown Court.

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Jack's mum, Rebecca, aged 36, said she was proud of the fight her son had shown since the collision, including attending his first day at Yewlands Academy in September in a wheelchair.

“I am in awe of the strength Jack has shown since his accident. He was so determined not to miss his first day at secondary school, and I am so proud that he managed to attend," she said.

Lawyers representing Jack, whose father, Simon, died of cancer in 2014, have sued Ford for help with rehabilitation costs for the Sheffield youngster.

They have secured an interim payment while working towards a full rehabilitation settlement package for specialist treatment, care and assistance needed by Jack on his road to recovery.

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Christopher Kardahji, the serious injury legal specialist at law firm Irwin Mitchell, said: “This is a tragic case and highlights to drivers the real consequences of accidents on the roads as a result of drink-driving.

“An 11-year-old boy has suffered devastating injuries, which will take many more months to fully recover from, because someone did not believe the laws applied to them and got behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol.

“We will continue to work towards a full rehabilitation settlement package for Jack to ensure he has access to the specialist treatment, care and assistance he needs to make a full recovery. We hope this interim payment can provide just some small glimmer of hope at the end of a dark year for the family.”

Jack's mum added: "We know there is still a long way to go on his road to recovery, but we are grateful to our legal team for helping secure this part of Jack’s rehabilitation package, as it will enable us to ensure Jack can receive the proper care and assistance he needs to get better.”

Ford is to be sentenced on Monday - the third anniversary of the death of Jack's father.