Hairdresser guilty of causing death of her great-grandmother

Tuesday 24th July 2018 13:48 EDT
 

A woman found guilty of causing the death of a great-grandmother after hitting the pensioner in her car while she crossed the road has been told she will not go to prison.

Tina Singh, 39, denied causing the death of 79-year-old Sheila McGinty by careless driving in the incident in Heywood .

After a four-day trial a jury unanimously found her guilty of the offence.

The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report, and Singh will return for sentence next month.

Singh, who showed no emotion as the verdict was delivered, was banned from driving on an interim basis until sentencing, when the full length of ban will be determined.

The judge also paid tribute to the ‘dignity’ of Ms McGinty’s family, who followed the trial in court, and praised the ‘methodical’ nature of the police’s investigation.

The court heard that Singh struck Ms McGinty while she was driving to Bury, where she worked as a hairdresser. Harrowing CCTV footage played in court showed the car hit Ms McGinty at 28mph in the 30mph zone.

Prosecuting, Robert Wyn Jones said Singh’s view of the road ahead would have initially been obscured by parked cars.

If she had started braking as soon as she saw Ms McGinty, she would have still hit her, but at a speed of 8mph, the court heard.

The prosecution said Singh, who was pregnant at the time, failed to react appropriately. They said that Singh should not have been driving on the chevron markings, and that if she had have been, she would have missed Ms McGinty who later died in hospital.

The court heard that Ms McGinty’s health was beginning to fail but that she was still able to live independently. She had early signs of dementia and her vision was starting to deteriorate, the court was told.

Singh will be sentenced on August 17.


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