A woman who mowed down a blind man and left him for dead in the road as she raced home with a fish and chip supper has been jailed. Charlene Bellis, 40, ploughed into Christopher Hollywood as he crossed the road with his golden Labrador guide dog Caesar while showing off to her teenage daughter.
Mr Hollywood, 34, was sent flying in the air by the force of the impact and suffered serious injuries. Caesar escaped unharmed and stayed at the roadside with his master.
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Bellis, a mum-of-three, initially stopped at the scene and got out of her red Ford Fiesta ST to say 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry,' but she then jumped back in the car and sped off as passers-by tended to the victim. She was arrested later.
Inquiries revealed Bellis, of Leigh, had a history of drug driving and she admitted to regularly smoking cannabis. There is no suggestion she was under the influence at the time of the accident.
Mr Hollywood, was taken to Salford Royal Hospital A&E where a spinal injury expert found that he had fractured part of his vertebrae and three ribs, and would thus need surgery. After successful surgery, he was out of the hospital within eight days but remained in a plaster cast for the next six weeks.
In a statement to police he said: ''This whole incident left me shocked and overwhelmed. She took the time to apologise to me but then drove away without calling me an ambulance. She had no idea whether I’d even survive when she left.
"My real concern was for Caesar, I was just trying to make sure he was ok. Luckily all the hours we invested in our relationship paid off and he stayed by my side throughout the incident."
He added: "Paramedics were able to call my wife Abby but I worried for her even more as she is also blind and her vision is even poorer than mine. She has been beset by nightmares since the incident happened.
"I am 34 years old and I now rely on my wife to help me wash and clean on a daily basis. I hate being unable to do things myself. I was unable to work for around seven weeks and this is detrimental as I am currently the breadwinner of the house.
"In an effort to deal with this impact, I now receive talking therapy as well as CBT. For the first time in my life, I have been forced to take anti-depressants as well as constant physio sessions to cope with my situation and mood. Her actions have affected every area of my life and all of the people close to me."
At Bolton Crown Court, Bellis, of Irvine Street, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was jailed for a year and banned from driving for three years. The disqualification will start when she is freed in six months.
James Preece, prosecuting said: "On the March 17 last year at around 6pm, the defendant was driving her red Ford Fiesta along Leigh Road in Leigh when she turned onto a side road as Mr Hollywood, who is blind was crossing the street with his guide dog.
''As soon as he stepped out onto the road, the defendant's car collided with him, throwing him in the air and then onto the bonnet of the car. He landed heavily on his left side and this caused him injuries.
''One eye witness had noticed the defendant was driving at an excessive speed before the incident, far in excess of the area's 30 mph speed limit Another said the defendant cut the corner at a high speed.
"She stopped her car and ran over to the victim to say 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry'. The witness told the defendant to move away from the victim as he was getting distressed.
"She then saw the defendant get back in her car and drive at speed across the pavement. She remarked 'That it looked like she was trying to get away from something'."
Bellis initially denied wrongdoing despite the incident being captured on CCTV. She had two convictions for two offences, including a drug driving offence dating back to 2019 where she was caught with cannabis in her blood.
Neil Ronan, defending, said: "The first thing the defendant told me today was that she wanted the victim to know how much guilt and remorse she feels for what she has done. It weighs heavily on her mind.
"Although she initially pleaded not guilty this was partly due to her lack of keen intellect and after she eventually changed her plea. She is a single mother with three children, aged 21, 19 and 15.
"The defendant self-medicates with cannabis every night, partly to deal with her complex familial situation where she is the only caregiver. She also mentioned some admittedly vague incidents of domestic issues with her ex-partner."
He added: ''She was just a single mother going out to get the family meal from the chippy with her daughter when she chose momentary recklessness.
"She has been out of work since she fell pregnant at 16 and is currently in receipt of benefits. She has told me that she would like to compensate the victim as much as she can."
In sentencing, the judge Mr Recorder Mark Ford KC said: "This serious offence is aggravated by the fact that you sped away after hitting the victim as if you were trying to get away from something. You could not have known at that moment if the victim was going to survive.
"What makes matters worse is that the probation report tells me that you were speeding at the time of the offence in an effort to impress your daughter who was in the car with you.
"It is clear to me the psychological effect of your offending has remained with Mr Hollywood and will do so for a long time. His injuries will also make his and his wife's lives every difficult for the foreseeable future.
"He now feels rightly frustrated and humiliated because of his reliance on her."
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