Deidre Coral Weideman (39) was in the Marks & Spencer car park in St Peter when she reversed slowly but did not see the victim in her mirrors, the Magistrate’s Court heard.
The elderly woman fell to the ground and sustained bruising as well as a broken elbow.
However, the court heard, the injured woman told police that the incident was not the fault of the driver.
Weideman admitted one count of causing injury by driving without due care and attention in relation to the incident, which happened on Thursday 23 May. The Magistrate, Bridget Shaw, said despite the low speed, the defendant’s driving fell below the required standard.
Police legal adviser Lauren Hallam, prosecuting, told the court Wiedeman was in the car park and waiting to pull into a space. The driver already occupying the space asked Weideman to reverse to let them out and as she did, she hit the woman and heard a scream. The defendant then got out to tend to the victim.
In her police interview she told officers she had checked all her mirrors and did not see the woman, and that she always drives carefully.
Advocate Adam Harrison, defending, said his client suffers from anxiety and this had impacted that.client had been co-operative with the police and accepted responsibility for the incident. He also explained she had written a letter to the victim and Advocate Harrison asked the Magistrate to avoid banning her from driving because of the hardship it would cause her.
Mrs Shaw endorsed Weideman’s licence with a warning and fined her £1,000. Delivering the sentence Mrs Shaw said: ‘I am taking into account you have never been in trouble and you took responsibility immediately.
‘I don’t think you are a danger on the road, however if you are back before the court for a driving matter then you are likely to lose your licence.’
