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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Lanarkshire Live

Lanarkshire driver who fled accident which forced plumber to retire sentenced

A Lanarkshire man who forced a plumber to retire after seriously injuring him in a car crash avoided jail today.

Steven Donaldson, 47, struck the man with his Mercedes 4x4 in Cambuslang, South Lanarkshire, on August 6, 2019.

His victim - who was semi-retired - quit his job after suffering two vertebrae fractures on his neck.

Donaldson went on a rampage behind the wheel which saw four cars written off with one of them "flattened."

He was convicted by a jury at Glasgow Sheriff Court of causing serious injury to the man by dangerous driving.

He was also found guilty to a separate charge of failing to stop after an accident to give his name and address as well as the identification of the owner of the vehicle.

Sheriff Sean Murphy QC put Donaldson, of East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, on a 12-month tag keeping him indoors between 7pm and 7am.

He was also disqualified from driving for 10 years and fined £400.

The trial heard from Donaldson's victim who told the jury that he was driving with his partner towards East Kilbride Road.

Prosecutor Mark Allan asked what happened first.

He replied: "I was struck to the rear, I was on the left on the filter.

"I was struck by a Mercedes jeep on my back offside."

The witness stated he was moving at the time and was driving at 15 miles per hour.

He added: "I wanted to accelerate at the time, the car hit me on the bumper at the back door and shunted us on a bit...approximately 10 feet."

The man said he was unable to see the driver who he claimed ran a red light and sped off.

He stated that he went to the side of the road and dialled 999 before speaking to the police at his home later that day.

Mr Allan questioned the man as to the damage of the car.

He stated: "The car was eventually written off but I thought at the time it was minor damage to the back end."

He stated that he and his partner went to hospital the next day, where he was diagnosed with two neck vertebrae fractures while his partner had whiplash.

The witness claimed he was put in a neck and back brace for six weeks.

Mr Allan earlier asked if he retired as a result of the injuries from the incident.

He said: "I returned before it but this confirmed it."

Mr Allan then asked "At the time you were semi-retired?"

He replied: "Yes, I was still doing jobs but not in that six-week period."

Other witnesses told the court that their cars were also written off.

A 63-year-old driving instructor said Donaldson's jeep later landed on the bonnet of his learner car after it veered off a raised part of road outside his home.

His female neighbour stated that her vehicle was "wrecked."

Donaldson was arrested and told to officers that there was a problem with his cruise control.

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