A hit-and-run pensioner ran down a Perth schoolboy and left him injured at the roadside.
Muriel McPherson watched the 13-year-old bounce off the bonnet of her car and land on the street in front of her.
The 76-year-old failed to stop and instead drove on to Blairgowrie Golf Club, where she was due to play a game.
McPherson, a past captain at the east Perthshire club, appeared in the dock at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted driving carelessly on Glasgow Road on August 14 2020.
She was allowed to keep her licence but was fined £400 and handed six penalty points.
Sheriff Francis Gill told her: “It is fortunate that the consequences here were not more severe for the complainer.
“As an experienced driver you ought to have known that you should have stopped the car and remained at the scene.”
Failure to stop and check child
McPherson, of Glasgow Road, Perth, admitted failing to slow for a red light, before hitting the youngster, who was on his way to school.
She also admitted failing to stop her Volkswagen Polo after the accident.
Fiscal depute Stuart Hamilton told the court the schoolboy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, caught a city centre bus from the Tulloch area just before 7.30am that morning.
“It stopped on Glasgow Road and the complainer alighted to cross the road in order to get a second bus.
“At this time, there was a fire appliance travelling west.
“The traffic lights changed to red and the complainer ran across the road, about a metre back from the pedestrian crossing.
“The accused was driving eastward towards Perth and failed to slow sufficiently for the red light.
“She collided with the complainer, throwing him onto the bonnet and then up into the air.
“He landed about three metres in front of the car.”
The court heard the boy then “jumped to his feet” and ran onto the pavement.
“The accused failed to stop to confirm the welfare of the complainer, nor to leave her details,” said Mr Hamilton.
Rescuers ran to boy’s aid
A passing fire crew witnessed the smash and activated blue lights.
“Members of the fire service attended to the complainer who was seen to have a deep laceration on his right arm,” said the fiscal depute.
Police were able to determine the hit-and-run driver’s registration number, the court heard.
“It was established that the accused had been due to play at Blairgowrie Golf Club.
“She was traced at the club, sitting outside in her car.
“The accused was observed to be very shaken and said she had stopped to compose herself.
“She could not give a reason why she had not stopped after the collision.”
McPherson told police: “He came out of nowhere and hit the front of the car.
“He bounced off and ran off.”
Mr Hamilton said the teenager had a four-inch cut to his arm and was taken to Ninewells.
“Doctors intimated that he may have bruising to his kidneys,” he said.
“However, he has made a full recovery.”
The court was told a personal injury claim had since been settled.
Mr Hamilton said: “I had the opportunity to speak to the complainer this morning and he told me that he still has slight back pain on his right-hand side.
“He says he is still paranoid about crossing roads.”
Panicked
Solicitor John McLaughlan, defending, said McPherson had no points on her licence.
“This has been an anxious matter for her,” he said.
“The boy stepped off the bus and straight into her path, so the time she had to stop was very short.
“But she does accept responsibility for what happened.
“Regarding her failure to stop, she accepts that she simply didn’t know what to do.
“She just panicked.”
Mr McLaughlan said McPherson had been left “devastated” by her mistake.
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