Court / Careless driver fined

A MAN who admitted driving without due care and attention by knocking over a woman at a zebra crossing has been fined £440.

Lerwick Sheriff Court heard that John Black, 75, of Hamilton Park, Bressay, had no explanation for how he did not see the woman when he collided with her.

Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said that the woman had sustained “life changing injuries” to her ankle and might never make a full recovery.

Mackenzie told the court on Wednesday how the incident happened at 10 past five on 18 January when it was dark and raining, though there was street lighting. The young woman had been “correctly using the crossing” at the Viking Bus Station when Black’s car came on and collided with her, knocking her to the ground.

Gregor Kelly, defending said that following the collision police had asked Black to read a car number plate at 25 yards which he easily did. He had been driving since age 17 with no previous convictions and had not been involved in an insurance claim.

He had said that the lighting was “not that great” in the area, but of “prime importance” he wished to “extend his apologies” to the young woman.

Sheriff Ian Cruickshank said that legally speaking, the consequences of Black’s driving were not relevant to the charge, but his degree of carelessness was.

With this is mind, he fined Black £440 and gave him six penalty points and endorsed his licence.