80 year old spared jail for crashing into girls outside Liverpool school
An 80 year old woman who crashed her car into a group of school girls has been handed a suspended jail sentence and banned from driving for life.
An 80 year old woman who crashed her car into a group of school girls has been handed a suspended jail sentence and banned from driving for life.
Norma Stokes from Allerton drove into a bus stop after accidently pressing her foot on the accelrator instead of the brake of her car. Liverpool Crown Court heard how one of the girl's suffered a brain injury and has developed epilpsey and diabetes
Passing sentencing - Judge David Aubrey QC said: "This case illustrates the need for the government to urgently review if it is not doing so already the manner in which the elderly can or cannot continue to be driving or hold a driving licence"
Chief Superintendent Mark Wiggins, from Merseyside Police, said:
There are no winners in a case such as this. The actions of Mrs Stokes left eight school children injured, five of them seriously with fractured bones and head injuries. The effects of those injuries will last a lifetime for the girls, both physically and emotionally, as well as their families.
"Mrs Stokes too has been greatly affected. She has always expressed profound regret for the events of 12 February this year, and will carry that guilt with her for the rest of her life.
"This was a horrendous thing to happen to everyone and our thoughts remain with the young people who were injured as they continue to recover and come to terms with what happened."
A parents one of the girls who suffered extensive injuries, including leg and head trauma said:
“Our daughter who left for school that morning is not the same daughter that came home six weeks later. It is like she died, as she will never be the same person again. Our brilliant daughter who wanted to be a surgeon, has been cheated, we all have.
“The extent of the injuries keep getting worse, every day due to the brain injury in particular. While we worry about her knee and the potential for further surgery, she has been left with epilepsy as a direct result of the brain trauma; this will affect her for life and has robbed her of her choices for her future. Her right hand has limited sensitivity affecting her ability to write and she is so frustrated and angry. Nothing will be the same again in our family.
“As a direct result of this woman’s actions and regardless of her age, our daughter has been cheated out of the outstanding academic and sporting potential she had. Robbed and her dreams ended at the very time that they were beginning to take shape, before this she was a fearless and remarkable girl, and this has been snatched away in the blink of an eye. Her scars will not heal with time, they are not scars, they are life changing damages inflicted on an 11-year-old girl standing on a pavement laughing and joking with her friends.” Frank Rogers, Brown Turner Ross Solicitors, said:
“The families of two of the children injured in the road traffic incident outside Belvedere Academy in Liverpool that occurred on February 12, 2016 welcome the news that Norma Stokes, the elderly driver of a Peugeot 107 which crashed into eight children on the public footpath outside of the school, leaving five with life-changing injuries, has been brought to justice.
“The families say that no sentence will change the trauma that their children have suffered, or ease their child’s pain; there is no winner in this situation. The girls have suffered such massive injuries, it was right that she was prosecuted.
“The crash has left a devastating impact on the families; incredibly gifted and talented young girls, who excelled academically, now face a future of medical appointments, surgery, rehabilitation and uncertainty.”
The parents of 13 year old girl who suffered extensive fractures to both arms, added:
“No sentence can make us feel better about what has happened. The medical team from Alder Hey caring for our daughter has been incredible and the team at Brown Turner Ross has been a huge support in getting justice in the most awful time for our family.
“Sitting in court today listening to the full horror of what happened, understanding the full details of how our little girl was subjected to such a frightening ordeal was like reliving the nightmare.
“I want people to appreciate the suffering that our girls have endured as they were getting onto the school bus, and it’s ongoing. Our child may require extensive plastic surgery for her injuries, she is fragile, afraid of crowds in case she damages her poor arms.
“Our life has changed and still months on, she has missed three months of her education and can still only manage half a day in school, her scars are more than physical.”
Parents one of the girls who suffered extensive injuries, including leg and head trauma said:
“Our daughter who left for school that morning is not the same daughter that came home six weeks later. It is like she died, as she will never be the same person again. Our brilliant daughter who wanted to be a surgeon, has been cheated, we all have.
“The extent of the injuries keep getting worse, every day due to the brain injury in particular. While we worry about her knee and the potential for further surgery, she has been left with epilepsy as a direct result of the brain trauma; this will affect her for life and has robbed her of her choices for her future"
"Her right hand has limited sensitivity affecting her ability to write and she is so frustrated and angry. Nothing will be the same again in our family."
“As a direct result of this woman’s actions and regardless of her age, our daughter has been cheated out of the outstanding academic and sporting potential she had."
"Robbed and her dreams ended at the very time that they were beginning to take shape, before this she was a fearless and remarkable girl, and this has been snatched away in the blink of an eye."
"Her scars will not heal with time, they are not scars, they are life changing damages inflicted on an 11-year old girl standing on a pavement laughing and joking with her friends.”