A London bus driver who seriously injured two teenage girls when he crashed into a traffic light is facing a possible jail term.
Garfield Daw, 57, was at the wheel of a number 76 bus when he crashed at a junction in Stamford Hill, north London, on October 31, 2022.
Two girls, both reportedly 14-years-old, were injured in the crash, with the Met Police saying at the time that one had been rushed to hospital in critical condition.
At Wood Green crown court on Tuesday, Daw pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by careless driving.
Judge Alexander Jacobs freed him on bail until sentencing in July, but warned him a prison term could be imposed.
“You are a public servant, driving a bus which is a public service vehicle”, he said.
“The accident caused serious injury, due to your careless driving, of two teenagers.”
Daw, from Vauxhall, pleaded not guilty to two more serious charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Prosecutors told the court they would accept his guilty pleas to the lesser offences.
The crash happened shortly after 5pm on Halloween at the junction of Stamford Hill and Amhurst Park, when Daw’s bus crashed into a traffic light that then fell on two pedestrians.
The court heard Daw, who has no previous convictions, has continued driving a bus for a living since the crash.
His barrister, Bozzie Sheffi, asked the judge to delay Daw’s inevitable driving ban until his sentencing hearing, to give him time to “put his affairs in order”.
“The company for which he works is aware of the court proceedings”, she said.
“It gives him a few weeks to wind things down and make arrangements.”
Asked why he had not done that when preparing to plead guilty, she replied: “Lack of experience, in fairness to him.
“He knows and will have been advised that it (a ban) is likely, but it’s not unusual for people to come to court without having fully absorbed the enormity of come to court where a guilty plea will be entered.”
Judge Jacobs turned down the application and imposed an interim driving ban, at which point Daw himself asked for the ban to be delayed until he gets home, admitting he drove his car to court.
“You will have to make other arrangements, for someone else to take it back”, said the judge.
Daw is set to return for sentencing on July 2.
Assistant Chief Constable defends ‘robust’ plan for Liverpool victory parade
Farage fails to guarantee pensions triple lock but vows to axe benefits cap
Four Just Stop Oil activists jailed for plotting to disrupt Manchester Airport
Probe into whether Liverpool driver tailgated ambulance before parade horror
