Lad run over by half-blind pensioner was bullied over skin graft and scars

The lad who was run over by a half-blind pensioner as he cycled home from a friend's house was bullied because of the large skin graft and scars on his leg. June Taylor did not see the 12-year-old boy as she drove out of the Co-op car park and hit him before driving him over as he laid on the ground.

During a trial at Truro Crown Court last week the 82-year-old from St Blazey, near St Austell, was found to have a failing eyesight and admitted not having her sight tested since before Covid. That day, on June 2 last year, the lad, who was 11 at the time and wearing a bright Manchester United football top, had stopped at the road in the car park to check for traffic.

He saw Taylor stop to let him through but when he crossed the road she moved forward and hit me. He fell off his BMX bike and, as Taylor wanted to move away from "whatever she was on", she drove forward and crushed the boy's leg. He was later airlifted to a hospital in Bristol where he underwent several operations.

You can read about the case here:

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Emergency services attended the incident and Taylor then failed three police roadside sight tests and her licence was suspended on the spot. Taylor was charged with causing serious injury by careless or inconsiderate driving but denied the charge and has now been found guilty by a jury at Truro Crown Court.

During a sentencing hearing at Exeter Crown Court today (Monday, July 1), which Taylor attended from Truro Crown Court via video link, a victim impact statement from the youngster and from his mum were read out in court.

The boy's mum said he had to undergo several operations the Bristol Royal Infirmary over 26 weeks, missed school, but most importantly missed being able to play sports and other activities with his family and his friends.

The court was told that the boy had a metal cage fitted around the leg, spent six months in a wheelchair and was still in pain many months after that.

In her victim impact statement, she said: "The incident has had a massive impact on his transitioning into secondary school. He has had to have a lot of physiotherapy to recover which has had a big financial impact on us. It has led to major lifestyle changes. This has been very hard him."

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In his own victim impact statement, the boy said the crash made him really scared. He added: "I didn't like being in hospital and away from my home. We've been back in Bristol a lot for operations. I haven't been able to do any sport. I can't ride my bike or go places with my friends because of my leg.

"I was in a wheelchair for a while and it made me feel uncomfortable. When moving to secondary school, it's a big school, and people have made fun of me because of my leg."

Sentencing Taylor to a £1,000 fine to be paid within 28 days, a victim surcharge of £400 and a two-year driving ban, his honour Judge James Adkin, said Taylor bumped into the boy then ran him over, adding that her eyesight was defective and her hearing was not great either. He said the incident had a significant impact on the boy's life.

Judge Adkin said he would not send the pensioner to prison, nor would he impose a work in the community order. He said: "Your eyesight was defective, as was simply demonstrated when the police asked you to read a number plate from 20 metres. I have heard how the injury had a significant impact on a young boy.

“In my opinion your age related difficulties in eyesight, hearing loss and frailty mean it is unlikely that you would ever be insured to drive again.”