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Victim of M20 head-on crash Pippa Piper describes ordeal as video emerges of driver Krzysztof Stopko speeding wrong way beforehand

The victim of a head-on crash has spoken of her ordeal - as dramatic footage emerges showing the driver responsible hurtling along the M20 at 80mph in the WRONG direction.

Phillipa Piper’s life has been changed forever following the horror smash in April.

After long and painful treatment, her pelvis is now held together by screws and she may never be able to carry a pregnancy full term.

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The scene of the crash. Pic by Carys Pugh
The scene of the crash. Pic by Carys Pugh

This week, the man who caused the crash, Krzysztof Stopko, 35, was jailed for 32 months after admitting causing injury by dangerous driving.

Dash-cam footage exclusively obtained by KentOnline shows Stopko's car speeding along the busy motorway moments before the devastating crash.

Miss Piper, 25, known as Pippa, was on her way to the Ashford Designer Outlet for a spur-of-the-moment shopping trip with her boyfriend, Sean Bowman, 27.

VIDEO: Stopko driving down the M20 in the wrong direction. Credit: Kent Police

But their lives were turned upside down in seconds when Stopko’s black Seat car hurtled towards them.

Pippa said: "It happened within a split second. My memory is just of the white car in front of us swerving out of the way and his black Seat being within feet of our car coming towards us.

“Sean was driving and he turned right towards the central reservation so the other driver could fit past us instead he turned into us and flew us into the air and by then I had been knocked unconscious.

Pippa Piper while in hospital
Pippa Piper while in hospital

“I didn’t really have any thoughts going through my head – more just a huge feeling of fear.”

After the collision, Mr Bowman was able to climb out of the car but Miss Piper was trapped. She was stuck for a just under an hour.

She has described life since as a “living nightmare”.

Picture of the wreckage of the car struck supplied by Carys Pugh
Picture of the wreckage of the car struck supplied by Carys Pugh

The former pupil at Astor College sustained injuries all over her body, including an open elbow fracture to her left arm, a spinal fracture and breaks to both sides of her pelvis and sacrum.

She spent a week in King’s College Hospital and then two further weeks at the William Harvey.

She said: “I was then told I was going to be put into a care home in Deal.

“I refused to go, so the hospital set a room up in our house, with a hospital bed and special mattress to prevent bed sores, with all the other equipment.”

"The crash has affected our lives massively. We are not the same people we used to be" - Pippa Piper

Mr Bowman suffered a broken finger, bruised chest, ribs and lungs, and severe permanent pelvic bruising.

Both he and Miss Piper are on statutory sick pay. Mr Bowman hopes to return to work later this year but Miss Piper says it is unknown if she’ll ever be medically fit enough to return to work on board ships with P&O Ferries.

She said: “The crash has affected our lives massively. We are not the same people we used to be.

“My arm now has extensive metal work inside. It was due to be amputated but they managed to save it. My pelvis has two large screws holding it in place.

“The long-term prognosis is not clear. I am able to walk now but I am in great pain.

“Because of my pelvic injuries, we may not be able to carry a pregnancy full term and the likelihood is that I will need walking aids or even a wheelchair and then a C-section.”

The couple planned to start trying for a family in December.

Pippa has been left with plates in her left arm
Pippa has been left with plates in her left arm

“It’s been a long-term plan but now that’s not possible.

“It really has upset us that we won’t be given the normal options throughout pregnancy but we are still hopeful.”

On Monday, Judge Heather Norton jailed Stopko for 32 months after telling the couple, who sat in the public gallery, that will seem like “a paltry sentence”.

She said she was restricted by a maximum five-year term for causing injury by dangerous driving, which Stopko admitted and was entitled to a reduction. He was also banned from driving for five years.

Krzysztof Stopko. Picture: Kent Police
Krzysztof Stopko. Picture: Kent Police

Miss Piper said: “We don’t feel any sentence would have been enough justice for us as our problems are with us for life now.

“We are glad he did not get a suspended sentence as they are quite common with driving offences but we don’t feel he deserved a reduction.

“We don’t feel he has any remorse whatsoever towards us or his actions.”

Miss Piper does not drive. Mr Bowman said he was now only able to drive short journeys due to anxiety and avoids driving everyday.

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