An 83-year-old man has admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving after his car struck a woman in a supermarket car park.

Roy Smith pleaded guilty at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday. The court heard his foot got stuck on the accelerator.

Smith, from Riverview, was charged with causing injury by dangerous driving after the horror smash in Tesco Crooksfoot car park earlier this year that left a woman with life-changing injuries.

Victoria Isaacs, 32, was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after she was hit by the blue Renault Scenic outside the Willesborough supermarket on Thursday, February 11.

Neil Sweeney, prosecuting, said: “She was in a critical condition in St George’s hospital having suffered a severe head injury.

“She was kept under observation for some time before being taken back to the William Harvey Hospital where she regained consciousness some time after.

“She needed intensive rehab, could only say a few words and cannot remember anything of the incident itself.”

Mr Smith’s car also collided with two parked cars and a row of bollards outside the supermarket’s Harris & Hoole cafe.

A second woman in her 30s whose car was hit, and a toddler, were also taken to William Harvey Hospital with injuries after the lunchtime incident.

Mr Sweeney added: “Fortunately her five-month-old son was not injured but she has since suffered back problems and is unable to work.”

Mr Smith had taken his wife, who was a passenger in his car, shopping in the morning.

The court heard he had been searching for a parking space when his foot got caught on the accelerator.

The nightmare unfolded as he tried to regain control of the car but after ploughing into Ms Isaacs and two parked cars, the Renault Scenic ended up in trees.

Mr Smith and his wife were checked over by ambulance staff but did not need hospital treatment.

Chairman of the magistrates Mr Woodland accepted Mr Smith’s guilty plea but sent the case to crown court for sentencing.

He said: “Your foot control went from one pedal to the other, the brake to the accelerator but unfortunately the result for that was catastrophic with extremely serious injuries.

“With regards to all of the circumstances, the bench feels that their sentence powers are insufficient to deal with this matter so we are sending this matter to crown court.”

Mr Smith was granted unconditional bail and is due to appear at Canterbury Crown Court on a date to be decided.