A PENSIONER made a ‘serious and significant one-off mistake’ when she reversed into a pedestrian - pinning him against a shop window.

Elizabeth Mary Armstrong left her victim - a 70-year-old man from Bolton -  ‘permanently compromised’ and requiring surgery for his injuries, prosecutor Emma Keogh said.

The 77-year-old, of Solway View, Torpenhow, was sentenced at The Sessions House, Preston Crown Court, after admitting she had caused serious injury by careless/inconsiderate driving.

Ms Keogh said it happened on November 8 last year after Armstrong had returned to her Honda Jazz which was in a parking bay on Station Road in Cockermouth at around 2:20 pm.

She said the defendant put her hybrid vehicle into reverse instead of drive, which caused it to jump backward, mount the pavement and collide with a wastepaper bin before hitting the man's leg.

She told the court the man, who was on holiday in Cumbria with his wife, was pinned up against the window of a shoe shop and then left lying on the floor as a result.   

The court heard the victim was airlifted to Newcastle Infirmary where he was operated on after sustaining two fractures to his leg below and above the joint, as well as injuries to his biceps and tendons.

He was at Newcastle for 11 days before being transferred to Bolton Infirmary where he stayed for a further 17 days. 

Ms Keogh said the accident had left the victim with another injury to his thumb on his left hand which had caused him severe pain and requiring physiotherapy.

As a result, it left him unable to continue with his hobbies such as walking, playing snooker and crown green bowls, the court heard.

Armstrong told officers that she had gone to the building society and that she was returning to her vehicle to do a food shop at Sainsbury’s.

In mitigation, Marion Weir said the accident had occurred because her client was ‘unfamiliar’ with the controls of her new vehicle.

Ms Weir said: “She is a lady of positive good character who has never troubled the criminal justice system before and is unlikely to do so again in the future. She has also had a clean driving licence for 55 years.

“She recognises the extreme nature of these injuries and the permanent issues her victim has been left with.

“However, in my grateful submission, this is a case that does not cross the custodial threshold. I urge you to impose a community order and the minimum length of disqualification.”

His Honour Judge Graham Knowles KC determined it was ‘highly likely’ that the defendant had put her foot on the accelerator when in reverse instead of the vehicle performing the manoeuvre on its own.

Before imposing a 12-month community order with one requirement of completing 60 hours unpaid work, Judge Knowles said: “You had time and warning to put your foot on the brake which you clearly didn’t do.

“I suspect you got into a panic, and you have not been able to figure out what happened. It is not far off being dangerous driving with mounting the pavement on a shopping street.

“Since your retirement, you have been a stalwart of the Church of England and of a local school – where for many years you served as a governor.

“The consequences could have been worse but they are clearly serious enough. This was a serious and significant one-off mistake.”

Armstrong was also disqualified from driving for 18 months, ordered to take an extended retest and to pay £275 in court costs.