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A carer whose car collided with and seriously injured a motorcyclist when she pulled out on him on a busy road has been told by a judge she “must not drive any vehicle”.
The crash, which occurred on Wrotham Road in Gravesend, saw the unsuspecting biker “thrown over the top” of Lovepreet Kaur’s Vauxhall Corsa before landing on the hard floor.
The victim, Tobias Skillington suffered a broken hip after being knocked from his Yamaha motorbike.
Kaur, of Glebe Road, Gravesend, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by careless or inconsiderate driving when she appeared at Medway Magistrates Court on January 23.
An impact statement read out by prosecutor Debbie Jones explained how on August 31, 2023 the victim, Mr Skillington, was driving down Wrotham Road on his motorbike as he did every day for his commute to work.
The victim says he could see Kaur’s vehicle, a Vauxhall Corsa, waiting to turn and was wary as he saw her car “bump” forward as if it may have stalled.
He wasn’t sure if this was because the 28-year-old mum had seen his motorbike or because she had slipped on the clutch.
The statement explained how once more he saw her car bump forward, adding that he “broke hard” unsure if she had seen him when “suddenly” she pulled out of Istead Rise in front of him.
The impact statement read: “With the moment of impact I was thrown over the top of the car and I landed on the floor, landing on my right-hand side.”
The court heard the victim suffered a broken hip and was taken to hospital where he was declared unfit to work due to his injuries.
The victim impact statement taken on March 25, 2024 read: “It has been six months since the incident and it still affects me to this day.
“I was unable to work for three months and could not leave my room. This had a significant impact on my mental health.”
The court also heard that Mr Skillington had to buy another bike because the crash had written off his vehicle, but added: “I am now extremely anxious someone will drive into me again.”
I am now extremely anxious someone will drive into me again
But Mr Simon Holmes, the defence solicitor for Kaur, explained she is a lady of “good character” and how at the time she was driving on an international licence although she now has a UK one.
The court heard how she works as a carer for the elderly, driving from house to house, and was driving to a customer when the incident happened.
Mr Holmes explained Kaur was driving an automatic vehicle on the day of the incident and “did not stall”.
He added: “She believes she looked properly but in hindsight she accepts it can’t have been good enough.”
When the crash took place, the court heard how Kaur “immediately” left her vehicle and went to check on the victim and apologised at the road side.
The solicitor added: “She made a full and frank admission.”
In response, magistrate Robert Gill said: “This is quite a serious matter and because of that we are going to ask the probation service to interview you, and they will bring that report back to another court and that other court will decide what the sentence will be.”
After explaining this process, he added: “You must not drive any vehicle.” The instruction was given as an interim ban until sentence.
Kaur has no previous convictions.
A sentencing date has been scheduled for March 13 at the same court at 2pm.