Kelsall left Melanie* with fractures to her pelvis, spine and fibula, along with an injury to her sternum. He has never held a driving licence, and recruited a friend to hire the Vauxhall Corsa he was driving when he ignored a give way sign at a crossroads to cause the crash.
This video shows that as Melanie was trapped due to Kelsall crushing her driver鈥檚 side door – with the smell of petrol eminating from her totalled vehicle – Kelsall does not even glance in her direction.
Instead – as Sheffield Crown Court heard earlier this month – after leaving his vehicle Kelsall only stopped to pick up 拢20 notes which were scattered on the floor of the car he had been driving.
Kelsall subsequently fled the scene of the crash on Festival Road, Wath-upon-Dearne, following in the footsteps of the three other males travelling in the vehicle, all of whom ran off immediately after impact.
Speaking to our sister paper The Star, Melanie has said she was 鈥渕ortified鈥 to learn that the first thoughts of Kelsall was not to check on the other person involved in the collision, but to run off, seemingly without any concern for her.
鈥淭he worst bit is that they were driving recklessly鈥nd to hear they ran off. I didn鈥檛 think there were any human beings who would act like that,鈥 Melanie told The Star.
She added: 鈥淵ou鈥檙e entering into a loaded weapon when you get into a car鈥hat鈥檚 how I feel.鈥
Kelsall, who was aged 20 at the time of the crash in May 2023, was not arrested for two months after the crash, when he was found in possession of 26 wraps of crack cocaine.
He was subsequently charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving and possessing Class A drugs, both of which he pleaded guilty to at an earlier hearing.
During a hearing held at the same court on June 10, 2025, The Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson KC, jailed Kelsall, now aged 22, for three years.
Melanie has given her permission to share the video of the crash, in a bid to make drivers 鈥渢hink twice鈥 about engaging in the same sort of driving as Kelsall, which has cost her so much.
鈥淚 could have died, it could have been so much worse. However, it鈥檚 almost as bad as when you do die, because you still have the injuries, the pain and suffering, and the adjustments you have to make,鈥 she said.
鈥淚鈥檓 no longer independent. They鈥檝e stolen that from me. He鈥檚 stolen that from me鈥e鈥檚 stolen my independence and the last two years of my life,鈥 said Melanie.
Kelsall, previously of Hargrave Place, Thrybergh, Rotherham, was also banned from driving for three years with an 18-month extension to reflect the amount of time he is likely to spend behind bars.
*Not her real name