by Keith Hunt

A teenager who was driving "like a maniac" when he injured two riders and caused the death of their horses has walked free from court.

Shane Dines was told by a judge nine months youth custody would be suspended because of his youth, what was recorded in a pre-sentence report and his guilty plea.

One of the riders Diane Hogben, who suffered spinal injuries, gasped from the public gallery: "So he gets away with it after what he did to me."

Maidstone Crown Court heard Dines shot over a hill at between 50-60mph in Great Chart in his Renault Megane RT Sport and ploughed into the horses.

Afterwards, he admitted to police: "I am the idiot who did this."

Dines, of Harper Road, Ashford, admitted dangerous driving, the maximum sentence for which is two years custody.

As well as the sentence being suspended for a year, he was ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work. He was banned from driving for three years.

The horror crash happened as Miss Hogben and Tammy Coles were riding their horses Benson and Charlie in Ninn Lane on Saturday February 6 last year.

Trevor Wright, prosecuting, said they later described a loud screeching sound like someone slamming on their brakes.

They turned and saw the car as, out of control, it mounted the verge on the right hand side of the road, carved an arc in the grass and then veered back onto the road towards them.

Shocked Miss Hogben shouted to her friend: "Hold on tight."

"At this point, all Miss Coles can remember is thinking she was going to die," said Mr Wright. "Her horse was hit by the car and she was thrown off.

"Charlie was on the ground trying to stand up. She ran to Miss Hogben, where she and Benson were on the ground. Miss Hogben could not move."

Dines, who had a passenger, was heard saying: "My brakes failed. What have I done?"

Benson died before a vet could arrive on the scene. Charlie was treated but his condition deteriorated and he had to be put down.

Mr Wright said Miss Hogben suffered a fractured vertibrae and had to have two rods inserted into her spine. She was in hospital for three weeks. Miss Coles escaped with cuts and bruises.

Judge Martin Joy said witnesses had described Dines's as "driving like a maniac".

"You have very much accepted that is an accurate description," he said.

"You were going at a very high speed on this road - far too fast for the circumstances to permit.

"i am the idiot who did this...” – shane dines

"You knew it was an extremely dangerous piece of driving. You maintained after your arrest your brakes failed. That was a completely false version of events.

"The reality is this driving has caused catastrophic results."

The judge said a victim impact statement showed the consequences of Dines's driving would last for many years.

"Nothing I can say nor any sentence I can pass can do anything about those circumstances," said Judge Joy.

"A horse was dead as a result and another was put down. More particularly, there were very serious injuries caused.

"It is quite clear the consequences are to be measured not merely in terms of constant pain but constant psychological trauma that has been caused."

The judge said it maybe the teenager's remorse was genuine but no real reason was put forward for the way he drove.

"It is of great significance that you are 19," he said.

A non-custodial sentence could not be justified, he said, but it would be suspended.

"I have considered compensation but it is clear this court is not equipped to deal with the amount of such a claim," he added.

"That matter is for others to decide."