Bus driver weeps in court as he hears how his wing mirror caused boy brain damage

A boy was left brain damaged while out on a walk with his mum when a bus driver knocked him in the back of a head with his wing mirror.

The 16-year-old was left lying on the pavement with life-changing injuries, after the bus driver Kevin Facer was driving with passengers on-board and was oblivious to the collision.

Facer - who has been a bus driver for 49 years - was charged with driving without due care and attention and failing to stop after an accident.

The failure to stop charge was later dropped when the defence argued it was believable that Facer did not realise the bus had hit anybody.

The incident happened at 5pm on February 1 this year in Drift Side, Blackfordby, near Ashby.

Facer, of Kestrel Avenue in Woodville, wept as he received a £1,500 compensation bill and seven points on his licence at Leicester Magistrates Court.

Facer said: "Can I just say that I was absolutely mortified. I am very upset."

The court heard the boy was suffering daily headaches, dizziness and balance issues because of the brain damage.

The A-Level student - who cannot be named for legal reasons - is still undergoing rehabilitation, and had to miss school and his part-time chip shop job due to the incident.

In a victim statement, he said: "I was out for a walk with my mum when I was hit in the back of my head by the bus mirror.

"We had been chatting away and the next thing I remember is being on the floor, shaking and then being put in the car."

He added: "To be told I have a brain injury is scary. It has put my life on hold, I used to go out running and out to meet friends and go to places with my girlfriend."

"I wish things could go back to the way things were before."

The boy's mother, who called her husband distraught after the incident for him to take them both to hospital, said her son has since transformed from a "bubbly" young man to being "withdrawn".

She said the whole family had been suffering from the incident and it remained unclear how long her son's problems would continue.

Facer's representation urged the court to drop the failure to stop charge by arguing there was no sign of excessive speed or aggressive driving, and added Facer was not doing anything else while driving, he was not tired and had never had his licence endorsed at any point.

The chair of the bench, Jasbir Mann, said she recognised the incident had impacted on Facer and his family, as well as the youngster and his family.

She said: "Mr Facer has probably been distressed by the situation."