Man reversed car into schoolchild

A LEARNER driver reversed a car into a young child outside a Dundee primary school.

Garry McDade, 44, of Camperdown Road, told Dundee Sheriff Court that he “did not see” the child.

Fiscal depute Jennifer Johnston said the incident happened at 3.30pm on January 19, outside St Andrews Primary School in the city’s St Leonard Road.

The accident was witnessed by a woman who was at the school to pick up the child.

The fiscal said: “The accused had stopped his vehicle in a restricted area when a number of children were leaving the school.

“The witness was picking up the child from school. The accused slowly reversed his vehicle a short distance and collided with the child.

“The woman approached the driver’s window and banged on the window and they had a brief conversation.”

Police were contacted and later went to McDade’s home address.

It was discovered he was only a provisional licence holder and was not displaying L-plates on the vehicle when the incident happened.

His solicitor, Jim Laverty, said: “He is usually accompanied by his sister, as he was on this occasion, but he admits he was not displaying L-plates.

“She had travelled there with him to pick up a child, but she was not there at the time of the incident.

“He was reversing slowly and did not see the child and the child was hit.

“Thankfully, for which he is very grateful, there was no injury to the child.”

Mr Laverty added that the conversation between McDade and the woman witness the Crown referred to was effectively a “five-minute confrontation” and that there were a number of vehicles parked in the area, including in the restricted area.

McDade admitted driving a car carelessly near the entrance to St Andrews Primary School, St Leonard Road, by parking in a restricted area, failing to keep a proper look-out and reversing and colliding with a child on January 19.

He also admitted driving without L-plates and without a licensed driver, while only holding a provisional licence on the same date. Sheriff Alastair Carmichael said: “You have to be more careful in these situations.”

McDade was fined £200 and his licence was endorsed with four penalty points.

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St Andrews Primary School