Cut corner led to devastating crash

A PENSIONER was left with her foot “hanging by a thread” after being knocked down by a former teacher because he cut a corner.

- ROB KENNEDY Court Reporter

The 75-year-old suffered the horrific injury crossing a road after she ended up in Liam McClean’s blind spot because of the angle at which he turned into the street.

The victim left a cafe with her husband and dog at around 10am on November 28 last year, Newcastle Crown Court heard. Her husband was going alone to a medical appointment, so she crossed Cauldwell Lane, in Monkseaton, North Tyneside, with the dog.

The pensioner, who was wearing a highly visible red coat, as was the dog, checked there was no traffic coming before she began to cross Woodleigh Road.

However, as she did so, she heard what she described as a “frightening roar” of McClean’s Vauxhall Zafira.