A van driver has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for deliberately running over a cyclist after the rider spat in his direction.
Disturbing footage shows Mark Okotie accelerating as the cyclist passed beneath two wheels of his vehicle during rush hour in Lewisham, south-east London.
Interior dashcam footage captures Okotie appearing to say something to himself before sharply turning the steering wheel and striking the cyclist.
He showed little emotion as the van climbed over the cyclist’s body.
Woolwich Crown Court heard that Okotie was delivering blood products to a south London hospital when he moved into the left-hand lane, seemingly without looking, and came close to the cyclist on New Cross Road in March 2024.
At the next traffic lights, the cyclist spat towards Okotie. The spit went through the van’s open driver’s window, the court heard.
Okotie, 44, who mentors young people to help keep them away from violence, was found guilty last week of grievous bodily harm with intent.
Today, he was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, although he was not disqualified from driving.
Disturbing footage shows van driver Mark Okotie accelerating as he ran over the cyclist
Okotie, 44, of Naylor Road, Southwark, was found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent at Woolwich Crown Court
CCTV shows Okotie’s van swerving into the cyclist’s lane
Okotie has continued driving during the two-and-a-half years since the incident.
The cyclist was taken to hospital with multiple pelvic fractures as well as a fractured femur.
He needed surgery to have metal fixings inserted into his pelvis and leg.
Witnesses saw the van leave its lane, cut across the cyclist’s path and then accelerate away.
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One witness said they believed the driver had attempted to kill the cyclist.
In a victim statement, the cyclist said the attack had made him “more cautious of people”.
He said: “Before the incident I was social, I would go out and meet people and mingle. Now I try to avoid people when I am out and about; when I am in a group of people I don’t really know, I now tend to keep myself to myself.
“I used to go jogging every morning before work, but I’ve not been able to do that since.
“When I hear a van or a large vehicle coming up behind me while I’m cycling, it can make me panic.
Okotie was delivering blood products to a south London hospital when he moved his van into the left lane ‘seemingly without looking’ and came close to the man on his bike in New Cross Road
‘Looking forwards to the future, the incident will continue to have an impact on the things I used to do on a daily basis like running and certain exercise.’
Okotie, who is a father of eight children and has a one-year-old grandchild, works with young people ‘to prevent them from entering a world of violence’, which he was ‘exposed to as a young man’, according to his defence barrister.
Police rushed to the scene of the collision alongside the London Ambulance Service at around 5.40pm.
Detectives then worked to secure internal and external dashcam footage from Okotie’s own van as well as footage from nearby buses.
Detective Inspector Steven Andrews, who led the investigation, said: ‘Okotie was driving a vehicle carrying blood destined for hospital patients in need. Instead of continuing a journey intended to support potentially lifesaving treatment, he chose to place someone else’s life at risk.
‘We acted quickly to secure and review extensive dashcam and CCTV footage, while obtaining crucial witness evidence from those who saw the incident unfold. That meticulous investigative work allowed us to build a clear picture of events, leaving no doubt about Okotie’s culpability.
‘I hope this sentence provides a measure of justice for the victim and demonstrates that deliberate acts of violence on London roads will be robustly investigated and prosecuted.’
Sentencing Okotie, Recorder Neil Haythorne said: ‘In a moment of extreme road rage, which appears entirely out of character from what I have heard about you, you caused serious injury to a cyclist.
‘You used the van as a highly dangerous weapon.’