An 81-year-old driver has been banned and sentenced to community service after knocking down a school caretaker in her car.

Maureen Janet Stewart, of Hazel Crescent, Pulrose, admitted causing serious bodily harm by driving without due care after she hit the woman in Braddan on February 15.

The caretaker suffered fractures to her spine and knee which resulted in her being confined to a wheelchair after the accident. She also suffered a laceration to her liver.

Magistrates ordered Stewart to do 120 hours of unpaid work and disqualified her from driving for three years with an order to retake her test at the end of the ban.

Prosecutor Barry Swain told the court that Stewart was driving at 2pm on Braddan Road.

The caretaker had just got off a bus opposite the school and was waiting to cross the road.

One vehicle stopped to allow her to cross but Stewart’s car, which was travelling behind the other vehicle, mounted the pavement and hit the woman.

Stewart had failed to notice the car in front of her stopping until the last moment and had swerved onto the pavement to avoid it.

She told police that she thought the brake lights of the vehicle in front had not come on but another witness said they had.

When interviewed Stewart handed in a prepared statement saying that she had been driving to Noble’s Hospital to visit a friend.

She said her car was in good working order and that she had not been rushing.

She said that there was sufficient distance between her car and the driver in front but she had not noticed their brake lights go on so she had to suddenly slam on her brakes and swerve.

Stewart said there was a vehicle also coming the other way so she could not have swerved to her right. She said her foot had hit the accelerator at the same time as the brake but she had not driven dangerously.

The injured woman was taken to Aintree hospital and found to have a compression fracture of her spine, a fractured knee, and a laceration to her liver.

In a victim statement written in May, the woman said before the accident she had been a keen walker and motorcycle enthusiast who worked as the school caretaker for 20 years.

But afterwards she said spent most days in a wheelchair and had to use a frame to walk as well as wearing a back brace.

She said she was ’devastated’ by the injuries and was not sure if she would be able to walk properly again.

Advocate Deborah Myerscough said Stewart had held a clean driving licence for about 40 years and had never been in any trouble.

Ms Myerscough said that her client did a lot of voluntary work and was fit to do community service if required.

’At the age of 81 Ms Stewart has never been before court and has led a wholly law abiding life,’ said the advocate.

’She is highly unlikely to drive again.’

Ms Myerscough went on to say that compensation would be better dealt with in a civil court as magistrates could only award a maximum of £5,000 under their powers.

Magistrates chair Belinda Pilling told Stewart: ’Your driving was extremely poor and resulted in life changing injuries.’

Stewart must also pay £50 prosecution costs.