A church organist has been spared jail after falling asleep at the wheel and causing a head-on collision that hospitalised another motorist for over two months.

Former clerk to Llantilio Pertholey Community Council, Robert Wade, 75, of Penoyre, appeared at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Friday, January 10, and pleaded guilty to a charge of serious injury by careless driving which left William Jones, 87, with spinal fractures and internal bleeding.

Although accepting responsibility for causing the collision, Wade denied the initial charge of serious injury by dangerous driving but admitted the alternative charge of careless driving.

The court heard the accident occurred about 1 pm on December 18, 2022, on the outskirts of Brecon.

Father-of-three Wade, an organist and choirmaster at Abergavenny’s St Teilo’s Church, was returning from a church service when the collision happened.

Prosecutor Georgina Donohue told the court, “It was rainy and windy but driving conditions were good.

“The defendant was in the opposite lane when his vehicle swerved into the complainant’s lane and there was a collision.

“The complainant, Mr Jones, has no recollection of the incident, which was captured by another vehicle’s dash cam footage.

“Passers-by provided assistance and the defendant said he believed he’d fallen asleep.

“Mr Jones suffered fractures to his lower spine, as well as internal bleeding and a fractured rib. He was in hospital for just under two months."

The court was informed that since the incident Mr Jones had been diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea.

In a victim impact statement, read by Ms Donohue, Mr Jones was described as an individual who before the accident, “was independent, enjoyed gardening, driving his vintage tractor and supporting his 100-year-old sister.”

Ms Donohue added, “Before the accident he was independent, enjoyed gardening, driving his vintage tractor, and supporting his 100-year-old sister.

“He was employed by Powys County Council for more than 30 years as a HGV driver and considers himself a safe driver.

“Life changed so much (that day) for him. He was driving on a road he used on a daily basis, and he was looking forward to Christmas.

“The next thing he remembers was waking up at hospital, in a very serious condition. He has been told he will always walk with a limp from now on.

“He was in terrible pain and spent nine weeks in hospital in Merthyr, as well as two weeks in hospital in Brecon."

Representing Wade, Jeffery Jones told the court his client had been of previous clean character and had been deeply impacted by the weight of the case.

“The defendant was told 15 months after the incident that he’d be going to court,” said Mr Jones.

“The wait until then and today would have caused both the complainant and the defendant a lot of anxiety and fears.

“He plays an active role in the church and the community. He is clerk to three community councils. He still works in his own capacity as a solicitor.”

Upon sentencing Wade, Judge Jeremy Jenkins said, "This is too serious to be dealt with by anything other than a custodial sentence, but I am prepared to suspend the sentence.”

Wade, who has been banned from driving for two years, was given 16 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work and pay a court surcharge of £154.