Driving ban for window cleaner who knocked down 71-year-old

The Magistrates Court

A VAN driver who knocked down an elderly pedestrian, leaving her with fractures to her skull and bleeding on her brain, has been given a 90-hour community service order and banned from driving for six months.

The Magistrate’s Court heard that Silvio Joao Moniz Calaca (35) turned into Bond Street at 3pm on 8 July last year and knocked down the 71-year-old lady who was crossing the road.

Advocate Luke Sette, prosecuting, said Calaca immediately got out to help her. She was taken to hospital where she was found to have head injuries. She also suffered confusion as well as nausea, vomiting and dizziness.

Advocate Sette told the court: ‘The lady has continued to improve cognitively and physically.’

Calaca admitted causing serious injury by careless driving, and Advocate Mark Boothman, defending, said it was ‘a low-speed accident’.

He added: ‘Mr Calaca has no idea how it happened, which is why he assumed the lady had walked out in front of him.

‘He has spent a great deal of time thinking about her and the impact of the accident upon her, and he feels extremely remorseful for it.’

Mr Calaca runs his own window-cleaning business and relies on his van for work, so Advocate Boothman asked Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris not to impose a driving ban.

He said: ‘The loss of his licence means the loss of his business. The loss of his business means part of the family income is gone.

‘He is a careful and considerate driver. He made a mistake on that occasion.’

However, Mr Harris said: ‘In these circumstances a disqualification is unavoidable.’

Calaca was also ordered to retake his driving test after the six-month ban came to an end.

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