8:11 am, July 26, 2024
A pedestrian was left requiring surgery after a speeding car salesman drove into his leg, a court has heard.
Dino Leone, 40, ploughed into Robert Gardner while driving in excess of a 20mph speed limit in Kirkcaldy, Fife.
The victim suffered a broken ankle in the incident and was left requiring knee surgery. He now also uses a walking stick.
Despite the severity of the pedestrian’s injuries, Leone remained unaware that he had hit Gardner an carried on his way without stopping.
Leone, a senior sales executive at Eastern Western Motor Group, has now appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court (pictured), where he pleaded guilty to a single charge of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
The court heard that the incident took place in June 2022 and that Gardner checked it was safe to cross before stepping into the road.
He did not hear Leone’s car, coming from his left-hand-side, until it was too late and he had no time to avoid the collision.
The prosecution team said the defendant was driving over the speed limit and did not give himself enough time to see the victim.
The Courier reports that two eye-witnesses to the incident stayed with Gardner until an ambulance arrived a short time later.
He required hospital treatment and police later identified car salesman Leone as the driver.
Prosecutor Sarah Smith told the court that Gardner had two metal plates and pins inserted in his knee as a result of the collision.
She said: ‘Since the collision, Mr Gardner states he now has to rely on a walking stick to aid his mobility and he suffers from reduced mobility.’
Banned from driving
In defence of Leone, his lawyer said his client, of Torvean Crescent, Kirkcaldy, had not realised he had made contact with Gardner until he was told by police.
He also pleaded with Sheriff James Williamson not to take away his client’s driving licence, as it would impact his employment in the motor trade.
He told the court: ‘It is not the case he did not see the man but did not take enough precaution.
‘He was perhaps reckless as to just where he was on the road. Clearly it’s a serious consequence for the gentleman involved.
The lawyer later added: ‘He is employed in the motor trade. He is a car salesman and has been for some time – locally, as I understand.
‘Clearly, the loss of licence will have an impact.’
After hearing all the evidence, Sheriff Williamson handed Leone a £1,800 fine and banned him from driving for 12 months.
In order to regain his licence, the motor trade must also pass an ‘extended test of competence’.
Not guilty pleas were accepted on separate charges of failing to stop and failing to report the accident to police.
Leone had just one previous conviction – for a speeding offence – which dated back to 2014.
