An 84-year-old man has been banned from the road after crashing into a woman as she pushed an 18-month-old tot in a pram on a rural Perthshire road.
Michael McEwan stood trial at Forfar Sheriff Court accused of causing his victim serious injury by driving dangerously on September 4 in 2022.
However a jury convicted him of a lesser charge of causing serious injury by careless driving.
The court heard that the child was uninjured.
Keen volunteer McEwan, who has never been in trouble with the law before, will now rely on others to help him continue his community work.
Perthshire crash
McEwan, of Craigie Road in Perth, was travelling on the B9099 between Stanley and Luncarty when he repeatedly swerved over the road.
The OAP mounted the near kerbside outside Downhill Cottage.
There, he collided with a woman who was pushing a pram with an infant girl inside.
McEwan then mounted the offside kerb and collided with a wall and a metal fence, damaging them.
His victim had to attend the A&E ward at Ninewells.
She was found to have suffered a mild head injury and a fracture to her little toe.
She was sent away with a moonboot.
However, she later began vomiting and bruising was discovered when she attended the Stanley GP practice the next day.
A month after the collision, the woman was prescribed beta-blocker medication after reporting night terrors.
No further incidents
Sentencing had been deferred for first offender McEwan to be interviewed by social workers.
His solicitor Linda Clark said: “Mr McEwan is 84 and has not been in any form of trouble before.
“It is highly unlikely, I think, we will see him back before the court again.
“There have been no further incidents or queries or questions risen in respect of his ability to drive.
“Clearly a period of disqualification will follow.”
Ms Clark said: “He does do a fair amount of voluntary work.
“If that is to continue, he’s going to have to rely on others to get him to and from various venues.
“In essence, the lady who was injured had about six weeks in a moonboot, or thereabouts.
“She had ongoing niggly pain in her foot. She described it as low level – a bit numb on her toe.
“Fortunately there was no injury to the child. The pram was damaged – I think she’s spoken to being recompensed for that.
“He is serving the community by his ongoing voluntary work.”
‘Matter of some carelessness’
Sheriff Mark Thorley fined McEwan £1,575 and banned him from driving for three years.
He noted that McEwan’s insurer had already paid out for the damaged pram so opted not to make a compensation order.
“There’s clearly been an insurance claim here, and settled,” he said.
“I take on board entirely that you had an absolutely clean record.
“I require to impose a period of disqualification.
“It does appear to me that this was a matter of some carelessness.”
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