Girl, 7, seriously injured after Denny driver ploughed car into her on pedestrian crossing

The child underwent surgery and spent months recovering only to break her leg again while on a trip with her brownie group.

Appearing at Airdrie Sheriff Court on Tuesday, Lindsay Cunningham, 23, admitted causing serious injury by driving carelessly on Glasgow Road, Kilsyth, on October 1 last year.

She claimed she had been dazzled by sunlight and did not see the young girl crossing the road.

Jack Lindsay, procurator fiscal depute, said the green man was showing as the girl and her mother crossed the road. Cunningham's vehicle failed to stop at the red traffic light and struck the youngster, knocking her to the ground.

She sustained two fractures to her lower leg and a cracked kneecap.

Mr Lindsay added: "Emergency services were contacted and she was taken to hospital. She underwent an operation and her leg was put in a frame, with pins inserted.

"This was replaced in March by a plaster cast and the girl then had to use a special boot, walking with a limp. Sadly, she had another accident while on a trip with the brownies last week, breaking her leg again.

"Doctors say the bone was still weak after the previous incident."

Defence solicitor Mark Lutton said the collision happened in "deeply unfortunate circumstances".

Mr Lutton said: "The low-lying sun has been a significant factor. She was driving at a low speed which became lower still. The traffic lights were at green but as she approached the crossing she was dazzled by the sun and didn't realise the lights had changed to red.

"The child, unknown to her, was crossing the road. She accepts her culpability but I submit that, in relation to the quality of driving, the offence is towards the lower end of the scale."

Mr Lutton said a driving ban would prevent Cunningham from driving her own daughter to nursery and force her to pass up a firm job opportunity.

Sheriff Tom McCartney said fined Cunningham, of Brewster Place, Denny, £940 and banned her from driving for a year.

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