A careless driver of an uninsured car crashed into a cyclist and threw him over the bonnet in Dundee.
Ramsay El-Nakla was doing the school run when he failed to stop at a red light and sent bike rider James Clunie, 59, flying through the air.
El-Nakla claimed he had lost his mobile phone on holiday and had not been warned his insurance policy had been cancelled.
At Dundee’s Justice of the Peace Court, El-Nakla, 37, of Dundee, admitted driving carelessly on Arbroath Road on 12 June last year.
He admitted failing to slow at a red light, failing to keep a proper lookout and colliding with a stationary bicycle, causing Mr Clunie injury.
He also admitted having no insurance but the Crown dropped a further charge of having no MoT certificate.
Thrown from bike
Fiscal depute Ewan Chalmers told the court: “The traffic lights were red so the complainer stopped.
“The accused failed to notice the complainer stopped at the junction.
“He has gone into the rear of the complainer’s pushbike, which caused the complainer to be thrown off the bike, landing on the bonnet of the car, before falling to the ground.
“The complainer sustained a small cut to a finger on his right hand and minor pain in his back.
“The accused remained at the scene for 20 minutes to assist and passed on his details.
“Police checks were carried out on the accused’s vehicle and showed it had no insurance.”
Failed to notice cyclist
Solicitor Annika Jethwa, defending, said her client had been abroad when his phone broke and he did not receive emails about his direct debit failing so the insurance policy was cancelled, without his knowledge.
She said he was on the school run.
“He was driving along and there was a van in front of him.
“He was of the view the van was going to continue driving but it braked quite suddenly in front of him.
“The bicycle has come along the inside. He has gone to turn down his radio and hadn’t noticed the bike coming up beside him.
“The bicycle had stopped between where the van stopped and where he stopped. He didn’t brake in time and he struck the bike.”
She said father-of-three El-Nakla needed his driving licence to help with the family and was getting £1,400 per month on universal credit and disability payments.
“He has a record but it is not the worst. There would be hardship caused to the family if he was disqualified.”
Sentencing
Justice of the Peace William Morrison fined El-Nakla £450 and ordered him to pay at £40 per month, as well as imposing six penalty points on his driving licence.
He said: “It is an unfortunate incident but it is indicative of a period of inattention – a momentary lapse -and I accept that.
“Nevertheless, there was injury, albeit minor, and the cyclist ought to have been protected.”
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