A SALISBURY woman left a teenager with a collapsed lung and broken wrist after a hit and run, a court heard.
Paula Stanford, of Denison Rise, appeared at Salisbury Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday January 4, where she pleaded guilty to driving a Vauxhall Astra that failed to stop after an accident, driving without due care and attention and failing to provide a specimen for analysis.
She is due to be sentenced next month.
The offences happened on the evening of August 6 last year.
The victim, who was 16 at the time and cannot be named for legal reasons, was riding a dirt bike along St Mark’s Avenue when the defendant’s car crossed onto the wrong side of the road and hit the bike.
The teenager fell off and sustained “extensive injuries” including a collapsed lung and broken wrist and was taken to hospital.
The court heard the driver did not stop at the scene and was seen carrying on her journey.
A trail of oil and debris led to the 54-year-old’s home address where police located the vehicle.
The court heard that when officers knocked on the door and spoke to the defendant, she appeared intoxicated and was “unpleasant and abusive” towards police.
She was breathalysed, then taken to a police station for a specimen to be taken for analysis.
Attempts were made to provide a sample with Stanford claiming she could not provide one due to emphysema. However, this was not the case. Prosecutor Kate Prince said it was a “deliberate” failure to provide a specimen.
Defending, William Griffiths said the defendant sent her deepest apologies to the victim for the pain and distress caused.
She was “horrified” when the detective read out the charges when she was interviewed and “couldn’t believe what she had done”.
The court heard she had no memory of the incident and had since sought helpas prior to the incident she had felt low and anxious.
Mr Griffiths said that Stanford hoped the victim could “forgive my selfish actions”.
The court adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.
An interim driving disqualification was imposed for the failure to provide a specimen for analysis.
Stanford was released on unconditional bail to appear at Salisbury Magistrates’ Court on February 3 for a sentencing hearing.
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