Woman, 64, caused crash that left teacher with 'grave' injuries

A 64-year-old woman has admitted causing a crash that left a teacher's arm severely injured. Susan Griffin had been in the wrong lane at the Anstey roundabout over the A46 and as she moved out of her lane she rammed another vehicle.

The car, being driven by a teacher who had her window wound down, rolled over several times down a steep slip road, ending up on its roof. The teacher's arm had been dragged across the road, ripping the skin off.

Since the crash, in May this year, the teacher has had no use of her right hand and had to spend nine hours in surgery, having skin from her leg grafted onto her arm.

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Griffin, of Pevensey Road, Loughborough, appeared at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Wednesday (November 20) and pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by careless driving. Prosecutor Tracy Lovejoy said: "Both the victim and the defendant were approaching the roundabout and the victim was in lane two for the A46.

"The defendant was in lane one that could only be used for going straight ahead. She was in the wrong lane.

"She tried to change lane without indicating or seeing the victim's vehicle. The victim's car rolled over and down the slip road and came to a stop upside down.

"The car window had been open and her arm had dragged across the road injuring her forearm and leaving bones and tendons visible. The victim lost quite a lot of blood.

"She lost the use of her right hand and is having physiotherapy." She said the arm injuries were expected to heal eventually.

She said the woman was able to continue working as a teacher but needed help with many things, including cooking and cleaning. Ms Lovejoy said: "It's obviously a devastating incident for the victim and caused grave injuries."

She said the offence usually had a 'starting point' for sentencing of 26 weeks in prison but that Griffin had no previous convictions, no previous disqualifications and had never had a single point on her licence.

Tracy Haslam, representing Griffin, said there had also been an impact on her client. She said: "The impact of the collision has had an effect on her mental health and her depression."

She said her client was fit for unpaid work and asked the magistrates to adjourn the case for a pre-sentence report to be prepared by the Probation Service. The magistrates agreed and Griffin is due back at court to be sentenced in the New Year.