A CARELESS driver who hit a pedestrian while driving on the wrong side of the road has been fined by magistrates.

Dennis Michael O’Brien hit the pedestrian as he overtook a line of static traffic in his Vauxhall Insignia on Northgate in Darlington on Thursday, August 6.

Kevin Ross, prosecuting at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court in County Durham said: “The pedestrian had started to cross the road after looking both ways. He then heard a car revving its engine and saw the defendant approaching at speed on the wrong side of the road. He was knocked down and sustained various injuries.”

These included ligament damage to the right ankle, grazing to the right knee, ankle and hip and muscle damage to the right arm.

Mr O’Brien, of Briar Road, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees, pleaded guilty to careless driving.

Chris Marley, mitigating, said the 25-year-old had been left devastated by the accident and wanted to apologise to the pedestrian and the court.

“He doesn’t know Darlington very well and when he overtook those cars he believed he was joining a right hand turn filter lane,” said Mr Marley. “He accepts it was his fault.”

O’Brien was fined £70 and ordered to pay criminal court costs of £150 and a £20 victim surcharge.

Magistrates added six points to his licence.