19 hours ago
Bus driver spared jail after he ran over pensioner had curfew lifted to take son to Legoland
Norman Hamilton avoided a prison sentence for seriously injuring Andrew Milton last March.
A bus driver who was spared jail after he ran over a pensioner had his curfew lifted so he can take his son to Legoland.
Norman Hamilton, 58, failed to stop for a red light and hit Andrew Milton, 77. The bus motored over his legs and left him bleeding heavily on the ground in Hamilton, Lanarkshire.
Dad-of-two Hamilton appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Court and admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Sheriff Colin Dunipace ordered him to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work, banned him from driving for five years and put him on a tag for a year.
But he returned to court in a bid to have the order varied and go on holiday with his pharmacist wife and five-year-old son to Legoland and Chessington World of Adventures.
Sheriff Dunipace agreed with 'some hesitation' and said he did not want to deny the youngster the trip that had been booked in February.
Ronnie Simpson, defending, said: "There is a motion to vary this order for a family holiday.
"This was booked in February when there was still a chance it would be a trial and negotiations were still ongoing with the Crown and this holiday was booked while discussions were ongoing, it was not done with any disrespect to the court.
"The outlay for the holiday has been fairly significant for the family. It is within the UK and only for seven days and they are going to Legoland and Chessington World of Adventures.
"I cannot see any prejudice in allowing the holiday to proceed."
Sheriff Dunipace said: "I'm slightly surprised by this given I was considering a custodial sentence in this matter.
"He was aware that these proceedings were in the offing and that the court would be looking at a custodial sentence so I just wonder why someone would book a holiday knowing that a custodial sentence may be imposed.
"There is a punitive element which has to be considered but with some hesitation and on the basis that it is also his son's holiday then I will allow the variation, I don't want to stop his son going on holiday."
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The court previously heard Mr Milton was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow where medics told him he had suffered 'life-altering' injuries.
He was kept in for two months for a number of surgeries on his legs including skin grafts.
Hamilton lost his job after the incident of March last year and vowed never to drive a bus again.
