Police described the actions of John Daffin who drove a stolen Audi 6 head-on into a Ford Focus carrying an 8-year-old boy and three other family members as “dangerous and inexcusable”.
Sergeant Mark Atkins, of the Beds, Cambs & Herts Road Policing Unit, said: “Daffin was witnessed overtaking vehicles at dangerous speeds.
“Just before the collision he had crossed on to the other carriageway to overtake and stayed there to avoid hitting the central island but instead went head on into the path of the Focus.
“Inside the victim’s vehicle were three generations of family, innocently travelling back from a holiday.
“Daffin’s actions that day were dangerous and inexcusable and have scarred this family, including a young boy, for life.”
Daffin, 31, of Cornfield Lane, Littleport, was overtaking vehicles along the A10 near Milton in the Audi, at about 12.40pm on 28 August 2023, when he crossed into the path of the Ford Focus.
The Ford Focus, which was travelling towards Cambridge, was carrying two men, aged 68 and 43, a 71-year-old woman and the eight-year-old boy, all from the same family.
A member of the public, who stopped at the scene, filmed Daffin as he ran from his car and into the hedgerows towards Milton.
Emergency services arrived and the four victims were taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital where they were treated for serious, but not life threatening, injuries, including fractures to the ribs, bleeding on the brain and punctured lungs.
A police drone and dog searched for Daffin, but he couldn’t be found.
He was identified via the footage by police and later arrested.
At Cambridge Crown Court on January 5 Daffin was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to four counts of causing injury by dangerous driving, failing to stop, and driving without insurance.
He was also disqualified from driving for three years and six months.
