Biker who fled scene after injuring girl, 10, spared jail

Uninsured motorcyclist rode off after leaving child seriously injured on road – then blamed her for the accident

A biker who left a 10-year-old girl for dead after knocking her down while overtaking has been allowed to walk free from court.

Scott Cooper was uninsured when he crashed into the child as she crossed the road in Milnathort, by Kinross, and drove off leaving her with serious injuries.

Cooper tried to blame the girl for the accident yesterday and said he had been deeply affected by the trauma it had caused him.

Sheriff Gillian Wade noted she could only jail him for a limited period as the jury had found him guilty of careless driving, meaning he would effectively only serve three months behind bars. She said: “That would not address the decision-making you made at the time. You caused an accident in relation to a 10-year-old girl who was seriously injured.

“This is far more appropriately dealt with by the imposition of the highest possible community payback order, which will include unpaid work and supervision.

“The most serious charge is failing to stop. It is the consequential thinking that the court requires to penalise.”

She ordered Cooper to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work, placed him under supervision for a year, and banned him from driving for 15 months.

Solicitor Peter Mullin, defending, said: “He has developed mental health difficulties as a consequence of his decision. Once he left the scene the damage was done.

“He has been prescribed medication as a consequence of dwelling upon this situation.

“The decision was incredibly wrong and he understands that and reflects on it on a daily basis.

“If it had not been for the girl running out between two cars, this was a manoeuvre one might expect to see on a relatively regular basis on the roads.”

However, witnesses described how they saw Cooper, 29, overtaking a line of cars and driving on the wrong side of the road when he hit the girl.

Mercedes market area director Paul Marwick said he saw the motorbike strike the girl after pulling out to overtake a number of vehicles in the town centre.

Mr Marwick, 45, told Perth Sheriff Court that the biker simply drove off and overtook more vehicles as he left the girl lying injured in the road.

The jury was told Mr Marwick and other car drivers stopped to attend to the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Cooper, of Linden Avenue, Newporton-Tay, denied causing serious injury by driving dangerously on the A922 in South Street, Milnathort, on August 31 2017.

The jury found him guilty of the lesser charge of careless driving.

He had admitted having no insurance and failing to stop or report the accident prior to the trial starting.

The girl, now 11, told the trial that she had been left with muscle damage which had forced her to give up some of her sporting activities.

She said: “I was told it hit my thigh, that’s how I got muscle damage.

“I only remember lying on the ground, that is it.

“Everyone came rushing towards me, and all the cars stopped.

“I felt pain in my hand and my shoulder and my thigh.

“I had a sling on for four or five weeks. It gets sore when it’s cold. I broke three fingers.”