Police received a report of a road traffic collision in the Tesco carpark
A 76-year-old driver who knocked down a 77-year-old woman pushing a shopping trolley outside Tesco has been fined £250 and given six penalty points.
The prosecutor at Fermanagh Magistrates Court outlined that on April 15, 2014 at 12.30pm police received a report of a road traffic collision in the Tesco carpark. The injured party told police she had been pushing her shopping trolley across the pedestrian crossing in the car park when she was hit by a car. She was then taken to hospital after giving her name and address to the driver of the Volkswagen Polo, Geraldine Gilligan of Tarmon Brae, Enniskillen.
During interview the defendant told police she didn’t notice anyone on the pedestrian crossing until she hit the trolley. She admitted she had been driving the vehicle and hit the injured party.
The defence solicitor told the court Gilligan did not see the injured party until she heard the bang of hitting the trolley. The defence explained that the defendant got out of her car and apologised, gave her details to the woman and took a number of photographs of her vehicle, although no damage was caused. Gilligan then went to the police and fully cooperated with them during the enquiries.
District judge Nigel Broderick asked how the defendant did not see the injured party and asked was she reversing.
“She was driving forwards,” replied the solicitor.
“All the more reason to see somebody,” replied the judge.
The defence solicitor said that Gilligan was an experienced driver, with over thirty years of experience and had no previous convictions. She added that Gilligan was the carer for her husband who suffered from dementia and diabetes and was responsible for driving him to appointments.
The district judge gave Gilligan credit for the way she dealt with the matter and her lengthy clear driving record.
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