“This is an utter tragedy": Woman, 66, killed man after she became 'dazzled by the sun'

A woman knocked over and killed a pedestrian after she became 'dazzled by the sun'.

Denise Stott, 66, hit Joseph Muldowney with her Hyundai i10 as he was crossing Sheepfoot Lane, in Oldham, at a T junction at 8.10am on April 3 this year. Mr Muldowney, who was 84 and was thought to have been using a walking frame, suffered suffered hip and pelvis injuries and died in hospital three days later.

Tameside magistrates court heard that Stott, from Chadderton, said she had only been driving at 14mph when rising sunlight from the rooftops of houses in front of her had temporarily blinded her as she approached the T-junction.

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It is believed she had not seen Mr Muldowney crossing the road, which has a 30mph speed limit. Police said she remained at the scene to speak to officers. She pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving before the court.

Peter Williams, prosecuting, said: “It is a very sad case. Mr Muldowney, an 84-year-old gentleman, was crossing the road at Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham. As he crossed the road the defendant's vehicle has travelled along the highway and struck him as he was crossing the road.

“Had there been a not guilty plea the Crown would have said it was suitable for a summary trial and all options for sentencing upon conviction. The defendant appears before you with no previous convictions.”

Stott's lawyer Tim Hughes, who said: “This is an utter tragedy. The defendant has no previous convictions, is a lady of a certain age and has never trespassed the criminal court before.

“It is a combination of dreadful circumstances. It was hugely unfortunate. She was effectively blinded by the sun as this gentleman was crossing the road. Sheepfoot Lane meets Rochdale Road and is a T-junction. It goes slightly uphill and there are terraced houses on the opposite side.

"The sun, unfortunately, was just above the rooftops as my client was going up the hill. At the point of impact she was doing 14mph.

“On balance it has been a difficult decision for the defence here but a guilty plea has been entered and a presentence report is going to be needed. At the sentencing hearing, mitigation can be placed in full before the court.

"With regards to disqualification. Miss Stott has not been near a car since and she has no intention of ever going near a car again."

Stott was given an interim driving disqualification pending a sentencing hearing next January.

No sentencing guidelines were given but magistrates ordered an ''all options'' report. The maximum sentence she faces being five years in jail at a crown court with a minimum driving disqualification of 12 months

JP Aftab Haque said: “We are going to go along with the proposal your solicitor has made, which is to order a pre-sentence report which means that someone from the probation office will speak with you and find out a bit more about you and a bit more about what happened.

“All options are open. We are going to impose an interim disqualification from now.”