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03
Apr
Man left with spinal fracture after head-on collision near Ripon, court hears
A woman whose car went “head-on” into another vehicle appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court today (April 3).
Kim Butler, of Church View in Kirby Hill, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by careless or inconsiderate driving after originally denying the offence on November 28, 2024.
Kaye Barnard, prosecuting, told the court a named man was driving on the A61 towards Ripon on May 22, 2024.
There was water on the road at the time as it was raining, the court heard.
Butler, who was driving in the opposite direction, lost control of her car and went “head-on into the complainant’s car”.
Ms Barnard said the complainant got out of the car and lay down on the side of the road until emergency services arrived.
He was taken to hospital and remained there until that evening, having suffered a minor spinal fracture, an injury to a muscle in his thigh and bruising.
The court heard the named man was also seen by a GP and found to be “suffering from a type of vertigo” after the crash.
He was unable to drive for two months after the collision and could not work for three months, Ms Barnard said.
Butler is of previous good character, the court heard.
‘A horrible situation for everyone involved’
Andrew Tinning, defending, told the court Butler was asked to check her friend’s property on the day of the collision, as they were away.
The 38-year-old drove to the home and, when on her way back, she thought she had left the keys in the front door of the friend’s house and turned the car around.
As Butler initially denied the offence, the case was due to go to trial. A trial wasn’t necessary, since Butler changed her plea, but the defence obtained an expert’s report on her driving ahead of the trial.
Mr Tinning cited the report in court, saying:
He [expert] thinks she was not speeding.
It is a notorious bend, but he thinks she was coming round the corner and the car was out of control. She took her feet off the accelerator and over-steered and collided.
Ms Butler does not know if she did that – that is what the expert thought.
Butler spent four days in hospital after the collision. She suffered a broken femur and a spinal injury.
Mr Tinning said it was a “horrible situation for all involved”.
The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.
Butler will return to court on May 22 for sentence and was disqualified from driving in the interim.
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