A pensioner who had admitted hitting a baby's pram at a zebra crossing with his car has changed his plea.
As previously reported on Chroniclelive, Michael Bage failed to show for a court hearing last month but pleaded guilty to offences of careless driving, failing to stop after an accident and failing to report an accident via a letter.
The case was adjourned for sentence, with the 71-year-old being written to to warn he faced being banned from the roads.
On Wednesday, Bage turned up in person to a hearing at Newcastle Magistrates' Court but his solicitor, Paul Kennedy, applied to have his plea withdrawn.
The request was accepted and Bage, of Plover Drive, in Burnopfield, County Durham, instead entered not guilty pleas to all three offences.
The case has now been listed for trial back at the same court on October 8.
Bage is alleged to have behind the wheel of his VW Polo when he clipped a six-month-old baby's pram as his mum pushed him over a zebra crossing outside Bill's Fish Shop, in Cullercoats, North Tyneside.
Fortunately, no serious injuries were caused but the child's mother, Kelly Pegg, was left "terrified".
An investigation was launched and footage of the accident was released, prompting police to issue Bage with a postal requisition to face offences of failing to stop after an accident, failing to report and accident and careless driving.
He twice failed to show for his court appearances, instead sending in a letter to initially admit the charges.
Magistrates accepted his guilty pleas during a hearing last month but agreed to adjourn the case for sentence so that Bage could be warned he would possibly be banned from the roads.
Mr Kennedy, for Bage, then applied to withdraw the pensioner's pleas and change them to not guilty at a further hearing this week.
He was released on unconditional bail to appear for his trial in October.
