A careless driver who knocked two cyclists from their bikes on a Highland road “didn’t see them” due to low sun, a court had heard.
One cyclist felt “an almighty bang” as Jack Henderson’s car drove into him and the second cyclist was “shunted” from her bike by the impact.
Henderson, 22, appeared at Tain Sheriff Court to admit a single charge of careless driving in relation to the incident on November 15 of last year.
Fiscal depute Adelle Gray told the court that the two cyclists had left their home after 3pm to go for a ride.
At Hill of Fearn they turned left towards Arabella and were cycling single file when one of the cyclists “felt an almighty bang” and was “thrown into the air” before “landing in a ditch”
The second cyclist also fell from her bike and landed on the road.
“The impact was caused by the accused driving a vehicle into the two witnesses.” Ms Gray told the court.
Low sun meant driver ‘didn’t see’ cyclists
The fiscal added that Henderson pulled over to check on the cyclists, telling them he “didn’t see them on the road”.
She noted that the sun was low in the sky at the time.
Police and paramedics attended the scene. One cyclist suffered a concussion and suspected whiplash, while the other was taken to Raigmore Hospital with a broken arm and a cut to her elbow that went down to the bone.
When Henderson was cautioned and charged he told officers: “I’m really deeply sorry”
Solicitor Roger Webb, for Henderson, told the court his client was a new driver at the time of the incident having passed his test in May of last year.
He said: “The sun was very low in the sky
“He did slow down but he didn’t slow down enough and this is his error.
“He hit the rear cyclist and the rear cyclist took out, or the shock caused, the other cyclist to fall.
‘He has done everything right’
“Having made that error he has done everything right. He has stopped, called police and ambulance and his parents.”
He said his client, who is autistic, works as a kitchen porter and had been travelling to work at the time of the incident.
“To be able to work he needs to be able to drive,” Mr Webb said.
The defence agent told Sheriff Robert Frazer: “He fully accepts that his driving fell below that of a careful and competent driver. He is truly sorry and apologises to the [cyclists] and to the court.”
Sheriff Robert Frazer told Henderson, of Balintore: “You are the fairly recent holder of a driving licence.
“In these circumstances, I’m persuaded that this is a matter that can be dealt with without you requiring to be disqualified.”
He instead imposed five points to his licence – a penalty that, he told Henderson, “allows you to keep your licence and keep your job”.
He also handed down a total financial penalty totalling £640 – a £400 fine plus victim surcharge and £100 compensation each for the two cyclists.
