Driver went into 'blind panic' and did not stop car after seriously injuring pedestrian

A driver who hit a pedestrian and broke their leg went into a "blind panic" and drove away from the scene, a court has heard.

Liam Davies, 29, turned into Rhyl High Street and hit Susan Butterworth in October last year but failed to stop after seriously injuring her.

Davies admitted to causing serious injury by driving without due care and attention and received a suspended jail sentence at Llandudno Magistrates' Court.

The prosecution told the court that Davies was driving along Wellington Road before turning onto the town centre high street and colliding with Mrs Butterworth.

the 29-year-old then failed to stop and it was members of the public that came to the aid of Mrs Butterworth and gave first aid.

Police were called and officers took Mrs Butterworth, who is retired, to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Bodelwyddan for treatment. Davies drove home and was arrested later.

In a victim statement Mrs Butterworth described her injuries, explaining she has sustained cuts, fractured her right knee twice and fractured her right femur. She was also concussed following the incident. She had to wear a cast and leg brace for eight weeks.

She said: "The driver should have stopped and checked on me - that would have meant a lot to me."

She added that since being hit, she is nervous any time a vehicle is close to her and her family have had to step in to help her with shopping.

Nia Dawson, defending Davies, said: "He went through a green light (and) the lady stepped onto the road. He should have seen her."The weather conditions were really bad. He has flashbacks wishing he had seen her and this would never have happened."

She added that Davies had been under a "particularly great amount of stress" and had been on his way to collect medication."He thinks that's why he did not do the right thing and stop," she said.

"He knows in his heart that he should have stopped. He was in a blind panic."She also said that the fact that the case has taken as long as eleven months to come to court "beggars belief". Today the court also heard that Davies was given a community order in June for a common assault.The court heard Davies is making progress on that community order.

Davies was given a 16-week jail term, suspended for 18 months. He must complete 100 hours of unpaid work and attend 40 hours of rehabilitation activity. He must also pay £85 costs and a £154 surcharge and was disqualified from driving for 18 months.

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