Last updated 12:41, Friday, 05 December 2008

THE driver of a South Lakeland District Council recycling wagon has been fined after she crushed a woman between the wagon and a parked car.

By freelance

Dorothy Harkes, 55, of Great Urswick, was originally charged with dangerous driving after theincident in Vicarage Road, Ambleside, on March 25.

But that charge was dropped when she pleaded guilty at Carlisle Crown Court to the less serious offence of careless driving.

The court heard yesterday that the victim, Sarah Simmonds, suffered a fractured pelvis when she was trapped between her car and the SLDC recycling wagon.

The incident occurred following an argument between the two women.

The argument was about the way the wagon was blocking the road at a time when Ms Simmonds wanted to get to work after dropping off her daughter at a nearby nursery.

Ms Simmonds was so angry when Harkes swore at her that she took the keys from the wagon’s ignition and took them into the nursery.

The police were called to the incident, but Miss Simmonds returned the keys of her own volition before they arrived.

It was then that she was injured, while standing in the road beside her car. Harkes later explained that, while trying to avoid a stone wall, she had forgotten that the rear of the recycling wagon was wider than its cab.

She was fined £200 and ordered to pay £300 compensation to Ms Simmonds. She also had six penalty points put on her licence.

The court heard that after an internal investigation SLDC decided not to take disciplinary action against her.