Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Derek Alexander

'Pensioner driver was allowed to keep her licence despite driving over my son'

The father of a young hit-and-run victim was left furious as the elderly driver was allowed to keep her licence.

Muriel McPherson, 79, ran over a 13-year-old boy in Perth, Scotland, and fled but was has been allowed to stay behind the wheel.

The schoolboy's 46-year-old machinery worker father claimed McPherson has never said sorry for leaving his son injured.

She left the scene and made her way to her golf club for an early morning tee time while the boy was rushed to hospital following the incident in August 2020, the Daily Record reports.

His dad revealed he still suffers from post-traumatic stress caused from being hit by McPherson’s car in Perth.

The town’s sheriff court heard how the pensioner watched the boy bounce off the bonnet of her vehicle and land on the street in front of her.

She then failed to pull over and headed for Blairgowrie Golf Club.

McPherson told the court she knew she’d struck the boy but “panicked” and fled.

Sheriff Francis Gill imposed a £400 fine and six penalty points after McPherson admitted careless driving.

The victim’s dad said: “This isn’t a good enough sentence. This is nothing. She should have her licence taken away and banned from the road.

“He had injuries to his back, his arm and his side. He is lucky it wasn’t more serious for him. But he was scared to go out for a long time after being hit. He didn’t like being in the street and around traffic.

“He’s needed counselling to help get over it. He was terrible for a while. But this woman has never even said sorry for what happened. I don’t think she actually believes she was at fault.”

She failed to pull over and headed for Blairgowrie Golf Club (File photo) (Gordon Bannerman)

McPherson was driving a Volkswagen Polo and failed to stop when she hit the boy, now 15, in the Tulloch area just before 7.30am. He was on his way to school when the driver failed to slow for a red light and was knocked over.

Prosecutor Stuart Hamilton said: "She collided with the complainer, throwing him on to the bonnet and then up into the air. He landed about three metres in front of the car."

The court heard the boy then “jumped to his feet” and ran on to the pavement.

Hamilton added: "The accused failed to stop... Members of the fire service attended to the complainer who was seen to have a deep laceration on his right arm. It was established that the accused had been due to play at Blairgowrie Golf Club.

"She was traced at the club, sitting outside in her car.

"The accused was observed to be very shaken and said she had stopped to compose herself. She could not give a reason why she had not stopped after the collision."

Hamilton said the teenager had a four-inch cut to his arm and was taken to Ninewells Hospital.

He added: “Doctors intimated he may have bruising to his kidneys. However, he has made a full recovery.”

The court was told a personal injury claim has already been settled.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.