A GRITTER lorry driver has been sentenced after leaving a 13-year-old schoolboy seriously injured in a horror crash.

Gareth Marchant, 38, admitted causing serious injury to his victim by careless/inconsiderate driving in the Lansbury Park area of Caerphilly on Thursday, March 9 last year.

The defendant was at the wheel of a council DAF gritter lorry, Newport Magistrates' Court was told.

Heavy snow had impacted the region overnight.

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The boy, who cannot be named because of his age, had suffered life-threatening injuries in the collision which happened at around 8.20am.

Following the crash, the boy was taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff in a critical condition.

Marchant, of Pen-Y-Bryn, Penyrheol, Caerphilly was sentenced to a 24-month community order and banned from driving for 12 months.

The defendant must carry out 300 hours of unpaid work and pay a £114 surcharge and £85 costs.

Gwent Police officers, paramedics from the Welsh Ambulance Service and the Wales Air Ambulance attended the crash.