West Sussex driver jailed after 'leaving man for dead' in hit and run crash in Horsham

Police say that the victim was left with life-changing injuries and needing ongoing treatment after fracturing his skull in the crash.

Nasko Naskov, 20, a catering worker of Oak Road, Southwater, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was jailed for three years at Lewes Crown Court on April 18. He was also banned from driving for six and a half years.

The court was told how the crash happened on October 16 2022 at 9.30pm in Rusper Road, Horsham. The victim was walking home when he was struck by Naskov’s vehicle. A police spokesperson said: "He drove away leaving his victim for dead.”

The man was found unconscious on the pavement and paramedics rushed him to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton where he remained in intensive care for six weeks.

Police say that part of his skull had to be removed to relieve pressure on his brain, and he has since required complicated surgery to fit a titanium plate.

When police went to arrest Naskov on October 22, 2022, after tracking him down, they found a Ford Fiesta hidden in the back garden of his home with significant windscreen damage. Naskov told police that the crash was his fault and that he had panicked.

Officers investigating the vehicle found the tyre cords were exposed, leaving the vehicle in a dangerous state at the time of the crash. CCTV before the collision also showed Naskov driving on the wrong side of the road.

In a statement the victim described the ongoing life-changing effects the crash has had on him. It has impacted his memory, speech, language and brain function, injuries from which he is still recovering.

He said: “This incident has had a serious impact on every aspect of my life. I try not to think about the person who did this to me, but it is frustrating that he had a ‘no comment’ police interview, leaving me with unanswered questions about why this happened.

“It has delayed my ability to find closure as a result. This to me, indicates a lack of remorse on his part, which, combined with the severity of the incident, should result in a sizeable ban from driving that keeps him off the road for a significant length of time, and forces him to reflect on his actions and learn from his mistakes.”

Have you read? Village pub between Horsham and Crawley reopens after £400,000 refurb

Speaking after the case, investigating officer PC Anastasia Wellfare from the Roads Policing Unit said: “The victim in this case suffered a life-changing injury from which he is still recovering more than two years later. He and his family have shown tremendous strength, patience, and courage throughout this lengthy investigation.”

She added that Naskov was “lucky not to have caused a fatality that night. We know that speeding is the cause of one in three collisions on our roads, and we know that dangerous, careless and anti-social driving are also main factors in why people are killed or seriously injured.”