A WOMAN “ruined” a biker's life on his 60th birthday in a horror crash after she cut a corner at a junction.

Rebecca Jennings, 29, sent Brian Woodley flying through the air when her silver Vauxhall Astra hit him as he was riding a Yamaha motorcycle.

The victim, known as Bert to his friends, lost his right leg below the knee and suffered a punctured lung, broken ribs and injuries to his liver and spleen.

Mr Woodley had been travelling on the A4046 in his hometown of Ebbw Vale just before 12pm on Thursday, December 8, 2022.

He had been on his way to Merthyr Tydfil where he had intended to buy new motorcycle boots at Trago Mills, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

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Emma Harris, prosecuting, said Mr Woodley remembered being “catapulted” off his bike by Jennings and into brambles on the roadside.

He could recall people coming to his aid but his next memory was waking up at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.

In two victim impact statements he revealed the devastating effect the crash has had on his life: “I have to take painkillers and my right leg throbs during the night.

“I have been getting slowly more depressed as I can’t move on with my life.

“I feel like a prisoner in my own home.

“It has ruined the rest of my life.”

He now uses a wheelchair and has had to give up his job as a property maintenance officer with the Ministry of Defence.

Mr Woodley said he had been unable to visit his brother in Kent and that he had since passed away after succumbing to cancer.

The victim added that his dream of travelling around Britain and Europe on his bike during his retirement has been shattered.

The police investigation concluded that Jennings had cut a corner at the Garden City junction on Park Road.

Her mother and sister were passengers in the car.

The defendant had denied any lack of concentration in her police interview.

Jennings told officers: “I don’t know what went wrong.”

The defendant, of Colbourne Close, Sirhowy, Tredegar pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by careless driving.

She had no previous convictions.

Jeffrey Jones representing Jennings, who is a mother, said: “She has always been heartbroken by what happened to the victim.

“The defendant has not troubled the court before and has a clean record.

“Her remorse is genuine.

“Any immediate prison sentence would crush her.”

Judge Shomon Khan told Jennings: “The injuries for your victim are a life sentence.

“But I recognise you didn’t mean for this to happen.”

He jailed the defendant for four months but the sentence was suspended for 12 months.

Jennings was banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay £500 costs and a £154 surcharge.