mond2x: Motorist deliberately drove at victim standing on pavement

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Motorist deliberately drove at victim standing on pavement

MOTORIST Renata Cuporiova has been jailed after she deliberately drove at a young woman in a rage.

The 26-year-old drove into her victim from behind as she stood on a Shelton pavement.

Cuporiova, formerly of Elm Street, Cobridge, denied dangerous driving, but was found guilty by a jury at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court last month.

The court heard the incident happened on a stretch of road between Castlefield Street and Davis Street at 1.10pm on September 28 last year.

Prosecutor Neil Ahuja said the victim was standing on a raised piece of pavement with a man when Cuporiova revved her Fiat car and accelerated.

"Witnesses saw the Fiat come round the corner from Castlefield Street," said Mr Ahuja. "She drove fast up the hill. She mounted that raised piece of pavement and struck that woman. The impact knocked the victim into the air before she landed on the road."

The victim was taken to hospital, but her injuries were not life threatening.

Richard Oldroyd, mitigating, said Cuporiova, who has held a Czech driving licence for seven years, was worried about her sister. He added the victim was not seriously injured.

Judge Granville Styler jailed Cuporiova for 12 months and banned her from driving for three years.

Judge Styler said: "It was a quite deliberate act by you to drive this car and knock down your victim. It is a miracle she wasn't killed and mercifully she received minor injuries."