A RETIRED doctor collided with an infirm elderly pedestrian in his car as she continued to cross a town centre road after traffic lights had changed from red to green.

Penny Bains was hit by a Ford C-Max as she walked over Main Street in Brampton just after 5.15pm on December 20 2018, in dark and rainy conditions.

Carlisle Crown Court heard 72-year-old Ms Bains suffered from a number of ailments, including rheumatoid arthritis, and walked “slowly, with the aid of sticks”.

On that date she used a puffin crossing with sensors which are supposed to detect whether a pedestrian is still crossing the road and should have prevented the lights changing back to green for traffic. However, the sensor for one side of that road was not working, and as a result the “lights just went through their usual sequence irrespective of pedestrian presence”.

As retired doctor Roger Williams — now aged 71 and then a neighbour of former William Howard School art teacher Ms Bains — approached, he slowed for the lights, which were on red. However, they changed to green shortly before he got there.

“They changed to green while Penelope Bains was still crossing the road, in the middle of that half of the carriageway,” said prosecutor Charles Brown as he opened the case to jurors, “probably because she was much slower than the average pedestrian.

“Dr Williams continued straight ahead,” continued Mr Brown. “He did not see Ms Bains. In mitigation it was dark. She was wearing dark clothing but she was still in the carriageway straight in front of his vehicle. There were street lamps and lights from neighbouring shops and other vehicles illuminating that part of the road.”

The bonnet of Dr Williams’ car struck Ms Bains at slow speed. She was thrown to the ground, suffered injuries including a broken leg and was taken to hospital but died from complications arising from those injuries nine days later.

Williams, of Hethersgill, near Brampton, said in a subsequent police interview: “I just didn’t see her. I don’t know why not but I didn’t.”

Bystanders, including hairdressers from a salon which Ms Bains had earlier visited, rushed to help. One recalled hearing “a loud thud”, of her being conscious after the crash and saying: “It was beeping.”

Jurors heard evidence from eyewitness Robert Stinger, who recalled stopping his vehicle as Ms Bains used the crossing slowly and with a “crutch or stick” as the lights went green.

Mr Stinger saw an oncoming vehicle which had slowed at the crossing. “I thought we were just going to have to sit there until she had finished crossing,” he said. “But then the other vehicle set off and struck her.”

Mr Stinger tried to keep Ms Bains dry as she lay on the road. He spoke to Williams.

“He said to me ‘the lights were on green’,” said Mr Stinger. “I said ‘the lights may have been on green but you can’t run somebody over’.”

Williams denies causing her death by careless driving. “It is accepted that by driving his car he caused the death of Penelope Bains,” Mr Brown said. “What is in dispute is whether he drove without due care and attention.”

The trial continues.