A DRIVER who knocked down a cyclist at a ‘nightmare junction’, leaving the rider with fractured ribs and an infection in one lung, has been fined £2,000.
The Magistrate’s Court heard that Michelle Ann Le Blond (57) had been turning from the Inner Road into Rue du Galet, in St Lawrence, at 6.30am on 17 February when she collided with the cyclist, who was wearing a high-visibility jacket and had his bike lights turned on.
Advocate Katie Ridley, prosecuting, said: ‘He [the cyclist] said he was feeling excruciating pain.
‘He was taken to hospital by ambulance and spent four days there.’
The man suffered seven fractured ribs and soft-tissue damage to his arm and shoulder, the court heard. The broken bones caused bruising and lacerations to one lung, which became infected. He was discharged by the fracture clinic in June.
Le Blond admitted a charge of causing serious injury by careless driving.
Advocate Mark Boothman, defending, said: ‘It is a very difficult junction. Anyone who uses it knows it as something of a nightmare.’
He added that the case had now been hanging over Le Blond for seven months and had been causing her serious stress.
Relief Magistrate Sarah Fitz described the accident as ‘a very brief lapse of concentration with very unfortunate consequences’ and decided not to ban Le Blond from driving.
She told her: ‘You’ve learnt a very hard lesson and I don’t think disqualification will help anyone.’
