When motorcyclist Wayne Langford became the victim of a dangerous driver, he could have done what many would have done and demand revenge.

But the father-of-five, who was off work for weeks following the crash, decided to talk with the driver, Holly Goodberry.

The Gulf War veteran discovered she does valued work for the Royal British Legion (RBL) as its recovery projects manager.

And that meeting led to the 51-year-old qualified driving instructor making an astonishing offer.

Mr Langford wrote to the judge at Maidstone Crown Court and pleaded for him to show mercy to Goodberry, 38, from Cambridge Road, Strood.

And then he offered to give driving lessons to help her get back behind the wheel.

The judge praised the airport worker as "kind and forgiving" and gave Goodberry a sentence which meant she would not be jailed.

After the hearing, she said: "When we met for the first time, at the magistrates court, both of us were in tears. I can't thank him enough for his understanding and generosity."

Prosecutor Daniel Stevenson said the collision happened on the A2 Watling Street in Strood, near the junction with the B2108 Rede Court Road and the junction with Carnation Road.

He told the court how on October 10, 2019, the aircraft engineer, based at London City Airport, was riding towards London on his Suzuki Bandit motorcycle.

"It was dark, but the weather conditions were otherwise fine," he said. "At around 6am Mr Langford's bike was behind the defendant’s orange Transit van.

"It appears that she had missed her turn on her intended route.

"There is a roundabout a short distance along the A2, which would have enabled her to safely turn back on herself.

"However, as she was driving past the end of the concrete central reservation, she pulled over to the left, and then immediately swung in a U-turn in order to travel back on herself towards the B2108."

Mr Stevenson added: "The defendant did not use her indicators, and she did not wait until the road was clear."

Mr Langford was taken to Medway Maritime Hospital with five fractured ribs, a fractured toe, bruising to his arms, abdomen, knee and foot and minor facial injuries.

He remained in hospital for eight days and couldn't work for three months or cuddle his 16-month-old child.

And after the hearing he was more critical of the police and the Crown Prosecution Service over the delay in processing the case and the insurance company who have yet to pay compensation.

But he said: "Holly made a mistake and she admitted it straight away. I don't view her as a criminal and I genuinely hope she can start to rebuild her life."

Tom Stern, defending, said she had not driven since the accident and had no plans to return to driving soon.

He said her work with the RBL included helping with the Invictus Games and Help For Heroes.

Mr Stern added that she was on her way to work and just missed her turn but was not "chancing her arm".

Judge Julian Smith told her: "Doing a U-turn was unnecessary and it went horribly wrong and that's your fault."

But he added that the fact she took responsibility immediately was "to your credit and in keeping with your character".

Goodberry pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by driving dangerously and was given a two-year community order, ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work for the community and pay £425 in costs.

She was also banned from driving for two years and ordered to take an extended driving test before getting back behind the wheel.

Asked if she plans to take up Mr Langford's offer of driving lessons, she added: "I really appreciate his offer but at the moment I am not sure I want to drive any time soon."

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